Homebound
by Gensomaden-Saiyuki
Summary: The sequel of A Curse to Kill. Sasuke and Sakura are engaged but then, her eyes were opened to the realization that his purpose of marriage was not because he loved her. And what happens when Sakura has been fated all along to be Hokage? SasuSaku
1. One Disturbing Question

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything linked to it. I just own this fic, that's all. I do not own the characters of Naruto. But I do own the original characters here, so… Well, you get the point._**

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_

First things first! I'M VERY SORRY FOR THE DELAY! Well, finally, my PC's now back, with a whole new and functional CPU! (THANK YOU, DEAR LORD!)

Here it is folks! The SasuSaku sequel for A Curse to Kill, Homebound! I just want to say THANK YOU to my readers and my reviewers, I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Sorry for too much of the delay. Here's the story: my computer broke down so, of course, when something gets broken, it needs to be fixed, right? So that's 3 weeks of repair for this computer and then, in those three weeks, I'm also in school and that made me very busy. VERY busy. Anyway…

_**Reviews are highly appreciated!**_

**(Chapter 1: One Disturbing Question)**

Sakura was sitting on her chair, thinking of what flowers should she use for her nuptial with Sasuke. She wasn't good at this.

"Perhaps I can just use the same flowers as Tenten did in her wedding. Some rhododendrons and azaleas… No, I have to have originality. I know! Ino can help me!"

And so, she grabbed her house key and left the house.

She walked downtown until she reached Ino's flower shop.

"Oh, Sakura!" It was Ino's mother, sweetly greeting Sakura as soon as she entered the shop.

"Good morning, Mrs. Yamanaka." Sakura replied.

"Oh wait," Mrs. Yamanaka replied, "I'll be back here. I'll just call Ino, okay? Wait here."

Sakura smiled and nodded as Mrs. Yamanaka went inside a door at the very back of the shop and shouted Ino's name.

There were so many flowers in the Yamanaka Flower Shop. There were exotic flowers and some of which Sakura have never ever seen before.

"Hey Sakura, what's up?" Ino asked, approaching Sakura.

Sakura asked, "Where's your Mom?"

"Why, do you want to see her more than your best friend!" Ino pouted, "She's upstairs, getting some drinks for us."

"Oh she really doesn't have to."

"So what brings you here in our humble little flower shop?" Ino asked.

"Little? This place was renovated, wasn't it?" Sakura teased.

"Well, yeah, so it's a little bit bigger now." Ino replied, "So, what do you want?"

"I want some help for the flowers I'll use in my wedding." Sakura pointed out, "What did Tenten use in her wedding?"

"Tenten also consulted me for flowers but it was Neji who chose the flowers." Ino answered, getting the spray bottle and spraying some water onto the flowers, "Neji wanted something special for their wedding, so he chose pretty expensive flowers. Like the rhododendrons, laurels, azaleas, and magnolias and had marsh marigold as the flower for the guests' chairs. But what kind of theme do you want? Neji and Tenten went for exotic, so, how about you, Sakura?"

"It would be really nice if the flowers would be blue, red and pink with a touch of white." Sakura replied.

Ino went to the counter and grabbed a selection booklet for Sakura, "You can find them there."

After a while… 

"I really don't know what to choose." Sakura sweatdropped.

"WHAT!" Ino jawdropped and sighed, "Okay, I'll suggest. For blue, you can use: Canterbury bells, tulips, lupine, blue flag, rocky mountain columbine, mountain iris and fringed gentian. For pink and red, you can use: fireweed, mariposa lily, gladiolus, carnations, roses, pinks, hollyhocks, and bougainvillea. And lastly, for white, you can use: daffodils, magnolias, Shasta daisies, jasmines, Atamasco lilies or sweet orange. So, you got all that? All you have to is pick."

Sakura sweatdropped again and said, "Ino, I didn't get all of them. You were too fast…"

"WHAT!" Ino shouted, "Well, come here, I'll just show you the flowers I just said."

Ino then dragged Sakura to the back of the flower shop and started showing her the blue flowers.

After another long while…

Sakura and Ino sat on a bench in the flower shop, drinking the orange juice Mrs. Yamanaka prepared for them.

"So, how's it going with Shikamaru?" Sakura broke the silence.

Ino grinned and showed her left ring finger, "I'm engaged to him, Sakura!"

Ino was laughing her most evil laugh and Sakura sweatdropped and smiled, "Wow that's great to hear Ino, but uh… Are you sure that Shikamaru proposed to you wholeheartedly or did you force him to propose to you?"

"What did you say!" Ino yelled, showing her fist to Sakura.

"Oh nothing, nothing, I'm just talking to myself."

"You know what, I'm worried." Ino said, becoming serious, "Neji and Tenten's marriage was something startling and unbelievable at first, but later on, it just turns out that they were meant for each other."

Sakura looked at Ino with confusion, "W-what are you trying to say, Ino?"

"Sakura." Ino turned to her, "Sasuke said he wanted to revive his clan so I was thinking… I was thinking that your marriage might be painful. Maybe he's just marrying you to use you to bear his children and not because he loves you.

"I still don't know where you're getting at, Ino." Sakura said.

Ino placed her glass on the counter and asked, "When was the last time Sasuke showed affection to you, Sakura? When did he say 'I love you'? How long was your engagement with him?"

"We have been engaged for around 7 months and… and… H-he never said 'I love you' and… He never showed affection."

"See? That's what I'm trying to say."

"What?"

"ARGH!" Ino shook Sakura's shoulders violently and told her, "Sasuke's just going to use you as a baby manufactory, Sakura. I don't know how much children you can give him, but I can't even sleep peacefully at night whenever that question pops up from the back of my head. Sakura, listen to me, why don't you ask Sasuke how he feels towards you? Tell him to be honest. Also ask him of his purpose of marrying you."

Ino withdrew her arms and Sakura replied, "I don't know Ino… Perhaps I should just go with the flow you know. Everything's going to be okay, I promise."

A tear escaped from Ino's eye and she let out, "Sakura just ask him. I can't bear to see my best friend suffering; you know that? You're too absorbed with your love for him… WHAT IF HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU? Don't you think your marriage makes no sense if that's so?"

Sakura was just startled at that comment, _"She's right…"_

_TBC..._


	2. If the Feeling Is Gone

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"ARGH!" Ino shook Sakura's shoulders violently and told her, "Sasuke's just going to use you as a baby manufactory, Sakura. I don't know how much children you can give him, but I can't even sleep peacefully at night whenever that question pops up from the back of my head. Sakura, listen to me, why don't you ask Sasuke how he feels towards you? Tell him to be honest. Also ask him of his purpose of marrying you."

Ino withdrew her arms and Sakura replied, "I don't know Ino… Perhaps I should just go with the flow you know. Everything's going to be okay, I promise."

A tear escaped from Ino's eye and she let out, "Sakura just ask him. I can't bear to see my best friend suffering; you know that? You're too absorbed with your love for him… WHAT IF HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU? Don't you think your marriage makes no sense if that's so?"

Sakura was just startled at that comment, _"She's right…"_

**(Chapter 2 – If the Feeling is Gone)**

"_You're too absorbed with your love for him… WHAT IF HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU? Don't you think your marriage makes no sense if that's so?"_ Ino's words rang in Sakura's ears.

She was home. Ino was dead-worried about her; Sakura never knew that until now.

If the feeling is gone  
please don't pretend that you still love me

Sasuke finally got home from the Anbu Headquarters. Sasuke was an Anbu. Neji was Tsunade's messenger and he was also her representative for the Anbu, while his wife, Tenten was a mission distributor for genin teams.

Sasuke sat on the couch in the living room and Sakura went downstairs and sat on a couch in front of him, "Another mission, huh?"

"Yes." Sasuke timidly replied as he read nin cards containing information he needs for the next mission.

_I can see it in your eyes  
and it hurts to admit it  
I can tell that the feeling is gone_

"_You're too absorbed with your love for him… WHAT IF HE DOESN'T LOVE YOU? Don't you think your marriage makes no sense if that's so?"_ Ino's words rang in Sakura's ears again.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura gathered up all her courage to ask him: "do you love me?"

Sasuke glared at her for a split second and continued reading the nin cards, "Sakura, I'm busy."

All I ask is just a little honestly  
Though I know that you're not coming back to me  
You know I'll do anything to make you stay  
But I just have to let you know  
If the feeling is gone

"Sasuke-kun, I want you to answer me now." Sakura demanded gently, "Please tell me the reason why you want to marry me."

Sasuke was still reading the nin cards and answered, "If I want to revive my clan, I have to have lots of children and I chose you to be the mother of my children."

"But do you love me Sasuke-kun?" Sakura repeated, "Well, do you?"

Sasuke eyed Sakura with his cold onyx eyes and replied firmly, "No."

There's a sadness in your smile  
though I try to conceive it  
I can tell that the feeling is gone

"_Ino was right, he doesn't love me."_ Sakura thought.

Sakura just couldn't bear to last every second with Sasuke there; she has to leave him. She can't just leave him like that or else Sasuke will notice something's wrong.

Sakura looked at the wall clock and told Sasuke, "I'm just going upstairs and update my medical catalogues."

Sasuke just let out a lazy groan and Sakura made her way upstairs.

"_I won't allow myself to be hurt any longer, Sasuke-kun. Tomorrow, you will not see me in this house ever again…"_ Sakura thought as she locked the door of his and her bedroom.

She grabbed the phone and went into the bathroom, locking the door and dialing Ino's phone number.

"Hello, Yamanaka residence." Mrs. Yamanaka answered the phone.

"Mrs. Yamanaka, is Ino there? This is Sakura." Sakura said.

"Oh yes, wait a little while, I'll just call her." The older woman sweetly replied.

"Yes, hello?" Ino answered.

"Ino, this is Sakura." The pink-haired woman said, and in no time at all, she began crying, "Sasuke doesn't love me, Ino, he doesn't…"

"Sakura, return the engagement ring he gave you." Ino replied, "Get out of that house and you can stay here."

"But Ino… Your Mom might-"

"No, she won't go berserk." Ino comforted, "Just leave Sasuke. He won't do you any good."

"Sasuke has very keen senses, how will get out of here?"

"When he's asleep." Ino advised, "Run away when he's asleep. I bet he's busy right now, so do the packing and do not leave any of your belongings. Now, let's not waste any valuable time and start packing, Sakura."

Ino put the phone down and Sakura got out of the bathroom and got some bags and started packing her things.

All I ask is just a little honestly  
Though I know that you're not coming back to me  
You know I'll do anything to make you stay  
But I just have to let you go  
If the feeling is gone

That night…

"Just leave Sasuke. He won't do you any good." Ino's words ran through her ears as Sakura brushed her hair before she went to 'sleep'.

Sasuke was already in bed, still reading some nin cards.

"If I sleep, I won't wake up and he'll notice that I packed my things." Sakura thought as she lay on her side of the bad, her back facing Sasuke.

Sasuke turned the lights out and placed the nin cards down.

"Goodnight, Sasuke-kun." Sakura said.

She was used to this; she says goodnight and he would not respond. She moved her leg but something in her mind restrained her from doing it, "He's not yet asleep. Listen very carefully to his breathing…"

And so, she waited.

After 1 hour…

This time, she was sure enough that he was asleep.

"Run away when he's asleep." Ino's reminder repeated in Sakura's mind.

Sakura stealthily stood up from the bed and wore her nin sandals. She silently opened the cabinet and took out the two duffle bags and one attaché case out and she removed her engagement ring as she stopped in front of the hallway table outside their room. A scroll appeared on her hand with a puff of smoke and she placed it on the table, along with her engagement ring.

She took her bags and gently climbed downstairs until she reached the door. She made hand seals and she disappeared with her belongings with a puff. Then, she appeared in front of the backdoor of the Yamanaka Flower Shop.

There were Anbus patrolling the town, so she must not make a sound. Luckily, Ino's bedroom window was open, so she searched in her duffle bag for her head plate and she threw it inside Ino's room.

Ino appeared at her window and hurriedly paced downstairs, opening the backdoor for Sakura. Ino helped Sakura with her bags and they reached her room.

"Great! You made it here without being sensed by that Sasuke!" Ino cheered after she closed her window.

Sakura started to cry and said, "Ino… Ino, I still love Sasuke…"

Ino felt sorry for Sakura and hugged her, "Everything will be all right…"

All I ask is just a little honestly  
Though I know that you're not coming back to me  
You know I'll do anything to make you stay  
But I just have to let you go  
I just have to let you go  
If the feeling is gone…

The next day…

Sasuke woke up only to find Sakura nowhere in bed.

"Sakura?" Sasuke called.

No response.

"Sakura, where are you?" Sasuke asked, finally standing up.

Sasuke walked through the hallway and froze in front of the hallway table where a familiar silver-band diamond ring lay beside a scroll was on it.

He picked up the ring and realized that it was the engagement ring he gave Sakura.

TBC…


	3. Curse Renaissance

**AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.**

**I just want to thank those who submitted reviews as soon as Homebound was released! Goodness gracious, this was a hit! THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED HOMEBOUND! I LOVE YOU ALL! MWAH!**

**(From the last chapter…)**

Sasuke woke up only to find Sakura nowhere in bed.

"Sakura?" Sasuke called.

No response.

"Sakura, where are you?" Sasuke asked, finally standing up.

Sasuke walked through the hallway and froze in front of the hallway table where a familiar silver-band diamond ring lay beside a scroll was on it.

He picked up the ring and realized that it was the engagement ring he gave Sakura.

**(Chapter 3 – Curse Renaissance)**

He opened the scroll and read, 'I realized that I was not the one meant for you. Sorry, Sasuke-kun, I can't marry you and I can't live with you any longer. I'm returning my engagement ring; I just want to be free right now. I just wanted my freedom back. Thank you for being with me for quite some time. Please find another woman, another woman worthy enough to be your wife. Goodbye, Sasuke.'

He hurriedly ran back to the room and opened the cabinets. All of Sakura's belongings – her medical catalogues, her clothes, her hairpins, EVERYTHING, was gone.

"_She ran away…"_ Sasuke thought, crumpling the scroll in his fist.

Then, the seal that Kakashi made on his curse disappeared. Sasuke got on his knees as he tries to bear the pain of the curse.

"Once you start doubting, once you start losing faith in yourself and once you lose your confidence, that seal I made will vanish. It's all about willpower, Sasuke." Kakashi's words rang in Sasuke's mind.

"You didn't doubt yourself, Uchiha Sasuke," Orochimaru's voice hissed in Sasuke's mind, "it's because SHE doubted YOU. She lost her faith in you and she lost her confidence in you because she broke her own trust in you. Don't you think you have to prove her wrong?"

Sasuke stood up and grabbed a kunai, "Where are you, Orochimaru? If you want me… Come here!"

"I'm saying the truth, my dear Sasuke."

Orochimaru suddenly appeared beside Sasuke but he immediately threw the kunai at Orochimaru, but he evaded it and it hit a framed picture of Sakura and Sasuke on the wall.

Orochimaru stretched out a hand to Sasuke and said, "If you want power, come to me. Kill that girl who can't trust you. Kill that girl who's a nuisance to your plans of reviving your clan. Kill her."

"No!" Sasuke refused, "I respect her decision…"

"No you don't." Orochimaru hissed, "You're only saying that because you don't want to hurt yourself!"

"I'm not going to force her to marry me if she doesn't want to!" Sasuke retorted, trying to stand up and grab a shuriken, "Sakura is not yet ready… And this… This was a big mistake I made…"

"Oh?" Orochimaru teased as he placed his finger on Sasuke's curse, "Then, why did she agree to marry at first? And now she refuses? Don't you think that she didn't like your perfect plans for her?"

Sasuke groaned in pain as Orochimaru made the curse much worse. Just then, Sasuke fell unconscious.

Orochimaru grinned and said, "You will never escape my shadow, my dear Uchiha Sasuke."

Meanwhile…

"Hello? Hyuga Residence, Hyuga Tenten speaking." Tenten answered her phone. **(A/N: In this sequel, Anya retires from service of Tenten's mansion.)**

"Hello, Tenten? This is Sakura. I need you to come to Ino's place if you're not busy." Sakura replied.

"Oh, yes, Ino also called me yesterday. She told me you're staying there." Tenten told her, "Do you want Neji to come, too?"

"If he wants to."

"I'll be there in an hour, I'll just get ready, okay?"

"Okay."

"Bye." Tenten said and placed the phone down.

She sighed and Neji happened to pass by her, "What's wrong, Tenten?"

"I feel sorry for Sakura." Tenten replied, "It's just that… If only Sasuke loved her, she wouldn't have to do this."

"Are you kidding me?" Neji added, "She did the right thing. She just dumped a heartless man, and that's one thing that makes her weak."

"Neji." Tenten pointed out, "This is hard for Sakura because she loves Sasuke."

"I told you, Uchiha just wants some kids so that the Uchiha clan would rise again." Neji smiled at his wife.

"Are you free today, Neji?" Tenten suddenly asked with a devilish smile on her face.

"Y-yeah… Why?" Neji questioned.

"C'mon, you're coming with me!" Tenten said, dragging Neji by the wrist.

"H-hey!" Neji squealed, "Tenten!"

After 47 minutes… In the Yamanaka residence…

"Sakura, stop crying for that bastard!" Ino said as she sat beside the weeping Sakura.

"Well, I loved that 'bastard', who can blame me for doing it?" Sakura managed to reply.

"Ino, your friends are here!" Mrs. Yamanaka shouted from downstairs.

"Please tell them to come here, Mom!" Ino yelled back.

"Poor Sakura…" Ino thought, "She wasn't able to sleep last night and she didn't even eat her breakfast a while ago… All because of that Sasuke-jerk."

Someone was knocking on the door, "Ino, this is Tenten. I'm here with Neji, please open the door."

Ino stood up and opened the door and let them in.

"What's the problem?" Tenten whispered to Ino.

"Well, she's still crying because she left Sasuke." Ino replied.

"You know Haruno," Neji suddenly spoke, "I understand your case. Sure, you love Uchiha but he's not worth shedding tears for. You're just wasting your tears over a silly thing."

Tenten sweatdropped at Neji's comment but she went with the flow, "Neji's right, Sakura. Sasuke's not worth your tears; he's a heartless man trying to use you in his future plans."

Ino sighed and told them, "I already told her the same thing last night but she just wouldn't stop. She didn't even sleep last night or eat a while ago-"

"You do it." Neji interrupted, "Use your Shin Tenshin jutsu."

"N-Neji…" Tenten commented, "Don't you think that's an extreme measure?"

"Nah, your husband's right." Ino smirked, "We can't let her be in a bad shape. I'll use my Shin Tenshin jutsu to make her eat and sleep."

"But that will require a lot of chakra." Tenten added, "I mean, you're going to sleep in Sakura's body and once you wake up, you have to perform the Kai jutsu in order to go back to your body. And afterwards, it will be your body that wears itself out."

"No problem." Ino made her Shin Tenshin hand seal, "All I want is to get her in good shape. After she sleeps, I won't return to my body yet, I'm going to make her eat a little more food and then that's the only time when I have to return to my body! And while I'm in her body, I'm going to slap her inner self a bit to the reality that she has to move on without that Sasuke-bastard. I have plenty of time to rest after I perform this jutsu! READY!"

Neji and Tenten moved back a little so that Ino will have a straight chakra travel to Sakura.

"NINPOU!" Ino said, "SHIN TENSHIN TECHNIQUE!"

All of a sudden, Ino's body fell on the floor and Sakura stopped crying. Sakura wiped her tears and a smile appeared on her face.

Sakura stood up and it was Ino's voice that came out of her mouth, "I did it! Now, I'll make sure Sakura gets what her body needs!"

"I think that wasn't a pretty bad idea." Tenten implied, "If Sakura continues being a stubborn girl, Ino can always perform her Shin Tenshin jutsu, right Neji?"

Neji just smiled at Tenten's comment and Sakura (Ino) reacted, "Are you kidding me! If I have to do this every single darned day, I'll be late for my date with Shikamaru tomorrow!"

_TBC..._


	4. Too Much Reality

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(Chapter 4 – Too Much Reality)**

It has been a week since Sakura left Sasuke. Sakura was actually doing fine thanks to the effectiveness of Ino's Shin Tenshin jutsu, which she used to wake up Sakura's inner self to the reality of Sasuke wasn't the right man for Sakura.

Anyway…

"Hey Neji, hey Tenten, what brings the two of you here?" Ino asked as she let the couple enter her and Sakura's room.

Ino allowed them to sit on a couch in the room and Tenten was eyeing Sakura, who was sitting on her bed.

Ino noticed Tenten's intense stare and sat on her bed, "What's up, Tenten?"

"Haruno needs the strongest protection she can ever have." Neji started, "The day after Haruno left Uchiha, he was reported missing. We don't know why, we don't know how but he just mysteriously disappeared. His belongings are still in the house but he wasn't there."

"And I advise Sakura to stay in Lee's house for the time being." Tenten said, furrowing her eyebrows, "He's the best protection Neji was talking about."

"What? Why!" Ino asked.

"I have a hunch that something bad happened to Uchiha." Neji said, "We found his kunai on a wall and the living room in a mess. A ninja might've sneaked in the house and Uchiha fought whoever he was and maybe, just maybe, the ninja placed him in a trance or knocked him down."

"Tsunade-sama also observed the place," Tenten added, "and she said… She can feel a bad aura in the house. And that bad aura may be in Sasuke, too."

"The more you need Lee's protection." Neji implied, "You don't want Yamanaka killed if ever that Uchiha comes back, right Haruno?"

"What? I don't understand…" Ino protested, "When Sasuke comes back, he'll kill Sakura, is that what the two of you are trying to say? I don't get it, why would Sasuke kill Sakura? Is it because she dumped him? I think that's unfair-"

"Whatever it is, we don't know either!" Tenten yelled back, "We can't risk her life! Sakura will be a great loss if she dies! Hokage-sama won't be pleased if she was killed! Haruno Sakura is the only trained and suggested successor the 5th Hokage has for Konoha! We can't just slack off here and watch the student of Tsunade-sama die, can we!"

"I can fight." Sakura blurted out, "I can fight even if it has to be Sasuke. I can kill him, too if necessary. After all, I AM Tsunade-sama's apprentice-"

"Even if you are a skilled ninja, keep in mind that Orochimaru is also supporting him, even if that Uchiha refuses Orochimaru's help." Neji interrupted, "And even if Orochimaru isn't supporting Uchiha, he still has a bloodline limit which, makes him highly dangerous."

"_The curse…"_ Sakura thought, _"Could it be…? But I thought Kakashi-sensei has sealed the curse?"_

"Do you happen to have a relative in another town?" Tenten asked.

"Well, yeah." Sakura replied, "I have a cousin in the Hidden Mist Village. Haruno Kashime, 23 years old, one of the five messengers of the Mizukage-"

"Just write down all her information on a nin card." Neji interrupted, "We'll give the nin card to Lee."

"Wait, who the hell is this Orochimaru you've mentioned?" Ino asked.

"Oh, he's a missing S-class jounin here." Tenten replied, "Tsunade-sama told me he is very fond of Sasuke, so… you know."

"No, I don't." Ino confusedly let out.

"You won't understand us anyway no matter how we explain it to you, Ino." Tenten annoyed Ino.

"Hmph!" Ino replied, "Does the Hokage think of the same way for Sakura as the two of you do?"

"She was also the one who recommended that Sakura should stay with Lee 24/7." Tenten implied, "Lee may be clumsy in different ways but when it comes to this kind of thing, he is serious."

"Well…" Ino smiled, "As long as it's for my best friend's safety, I agree."

The next day… 

"Wow! Sakura, you and me in my house, finally!" Lee exclaimed.

"Hey Lee, don't try to do anything with Sakura or you'll get your butt kicked." Tenten warned, pointing her kunai on Lee's throat.

"Uhh… Yes, Ma'am." Lee saluted.

Tenten withdrew her kunai and dropped Sakura's last bag in Lee's living room.

"So where's Neji?" Lee asked.

"Tsunade-sama told him to speak to the Anbu about making sure that once Sasuke returns to town, they have to bring him to Tsunade-sama immediately." Tenten replied.

"Sakura-chan, I'll miss you…" Ino said as she wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"Just promise me one thing," Sakura hugged back, "don't be like me. You're getting married to Shikamaru and I don't want you to be like me, okay? Take care of yourself."

"Hey, you too." Ino answered, letting go of Sakura, "Everything's going to be all right?"

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Yes, Ino, everything is going to be all right, I promise."

"Well, I have to get going." Tenten said, looking at the living room's wall clock, "Time to distribute missions for the genins."

"I should get going, too." Ino implied, "Sakura, take care!"

Sakura waved goodbye to Ino and replied, "Yes, thank you very much for everything, Ino."

"Hey thick-eyebrows!" Ino yelled pointing her index finger at Lee, "You take care of my best friend and don't even think of touching her even if she's staying in your house, and if that happens, mark my word, I'LL SHAVE YOUR EYEBROWS AND MAKE SURE THEY DON'T GROW BACK!"

Lee saluted, "Y-yes, Ma'am."

Ino and Tenten left Lee's house and closed the door.

"Lee, here's the nin card Neji told me to give you." Sakura said, handing the card to Lee, "It's all about my cousin, Haruno Kashime in the Village of the Mist. I gave Tenten and Neji the same cards, just in case."

"Yeah, Neji told me about this, too." Lee responded, getting the card from her, "He told me that if something bad happens to you, I should take you out of the town. Tenten told me you should have an emergency luggage ready, just in case that MAN comes back in town."

Sakura sighed and smiled, "Wow, I guess this is friendly love, huh? Many are concerned about me."

"Well, YOU ARE the Hokage's apprentice, so… many are concerned for your safety, the great Hokage, herself, all of the people in the Anbu Headquarters, Neji, Tenten, Ino, Naruto, Hinata, me… We all are concerned about your safety. If you die, maybe some of us might be punished if you died-"

"Hey, hey, hey." Sakura pinched Lee's cheek, "Watch it, Lee. I'm still alive!"

Sakura released her hold and Lee spoke, "That's right! Now, let me show you to your room."

Sakura smiled and nodded, "Let's go!"

_TBC…_


	5. Berserk

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**I just want to thank those who read and reviewed A Curse to Kill and HOMEBOUND! Domo arigatou gozaimasu, minna-san!**

**It's certainly a HIT!**

**(Chapter 5 – Berserk)**

It has been 4 days since Sakura stayed at Lee's residence. The residents of Konoha are now getting scared to get out of their homes because Tsunade issued a curfew for the whole town by 10:00 evening and throughout the day, Anbu squads are roaming around the town. She indicated that an S-class jounin is missing.

The residents were wondering who this jounin was. Tsunade never spoke his name because the residents might go wild and fuss about it, but it was Uchiha Sasuke.

It was the Konoha town festival and this time, Tsunade made sure everyone would come. She declared this day as a non-working holiday. She told the Anbu to loosen the tight security around the town, for the people to feel free to attend the festival.

"Hey, Sakura!" Lee called.

"Yes?" Sakura replied.

"Ready for the festival?"

"Yup!"

Then, somebody was knocking at Lee's door. Lee ran to the door and opened it.

"Lee today is the town festival." Neji started as soon as Lee opened the door. His wife was with him, of course.

"Yeah? And?" Lee prolonged.

"We don't know when will HE show up." Tenten warned, "But we think today may be the right time for HIM to show up. So, whatever you do and wherever Sakura may go, DON'T LET HER LEAVE YOUR SIGHT. HE can always strike within a split-second and you know that, right?"

"Yes, but of course." Lee replied seriously, "As promised, I WILL protect Sakura."

"Lee? What's going on?" Sakura asked approaching Lee.

"Oh nothing, Sakura." Lee lied, "It's just Neji and Tenten passing by."

"Just here to say, 'hi'!" Tenten smiled.

"Tenten, we should get going." Neji whispered to his wife, "Tsunade told us to report to her immediately."

"Oh, we've got to go." Tenten said, "We have to make sure the preparations for the festival are going smoothly."

"Oh." Lee reacted, "Okay then, bye! Take care!"

Neji and Tenten excused themselves and went on their way.

That evening… 

"We have to make sure that no one among the residents of Konoha will die in this festival." Neji told the Anbus.

"Hokage had already told us that Uchiha Sasuke might be a threat to the town." Neji continued, "We already know that Orochimaru is after Uchiha Sasuke. There may be a chance that both of them might cause a commotion in this festival."

"And if they do appear and threaten the town?" an Anbu asked.

Neji furrowed his eyebrows and told them, "Hokage instructs the Anbu teams and the available jounins to annihilate them in any way possible... We're not only talking about maximum tolerance here, we're also talking about maximum ninja combat. They're highly-talented nins, so when you encounter them, you should fight as if it was your last. First things first, evacuate the residents and then attack."

"Understood." The Anbus before Neji confirmed.

Later on… 

"Wow, there are so many people this year." Lee told Sakura who was looking at the lanterns.

"Yeah, I guess the preparations for this year's festival are much better than last year." Sakura replied as she continued walking with Lee.

"Eherm, eherm." Tsunade spoke through the microphone, "Calling the attention of all the people of Konoha!"

Lee, Sakura and everyone in the town square gathered in front of the stage and listened to their Hokage.

"Today, Konoha celebrates its 92nd foundation day. This year we worked harder so that the festival is much more fun!" Tsunade started, "As Hokage, I just want to wish everyone good luck with their businesses, education, friendships, love lives and etcetera, etcetera. Of course, without any further ado, let the festival begin!"

Then confetti, party poppers began to rain on the residents and fireworks are seen decorating the sky.

Lee and Sakura spent their night playing with kids, talking to old friends, teasing each other, and looking at stuff…

Lee and Sakura were eating crabsticks as they sat on a bench.

"What a day!" Sakura sighed.

"Yeah!" Lee agreed, "I never expected that this year's festival is much more exhausting than last year."

"Hmm?" Sakura spoke, after swallowing a bite from her crabstick, "It is exhausting but fun!"

Lee just smiled at her and sipped some orange juice from his paper cup.

Then, the crowd just gasped and they began screaming. Sakura had just finished eating her crabsticks and emptied her cup of orange juice and so did Lee when this had happened.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked.

"Lee!" a voice screamed in the crowd.

"Huh? What? Who's calling me!" Lee reacted.

"Get out of here now!" It was Tenten, who made it out from the crowd, with the look of anxiety in her eyes, "Hurry! Take Sakura with you!"

"What?" Sakura asked, "Why? What's happening!"

"Oh, pitiful village of Konoha." A hissing voice echoed through the town square as Sound ninjas surrounded the area.

Just then, a shuriken was hurling towards Sakura's direction but she was able to evade it.

"Who threw that!" Sakura shouted, grabbing her kunai.

Sakura looked in all directions and when she had focused her eyes in front, she saw Orochimaru and…

"S-Sasuke…?" Sakura trembled in fear and confusion as she saw, indeed, Uchiha Sasuke, who had Orochimaru's curse all over his body and his eyes, those scary, Sharingan eyes searching the crowd for something… or someone.

"Sakura!" Tenten called, "Get out of here now!"

Just then, the Sound ninjas started attacking the town, as the crowd panics. Anbu Squads are trying their best to get everyone out from the encounter.

Sakura was still looking in fear at Sasuke. Sasuke locked his eyes on his prey and disappears from the stage and appears in front of Sakura.

"You…" Sasuke hissed, "Die!"

Sasuke was about to hurl a kunai at her when he suddenly stopped.

"Hey bastard!" a familiar feminine voice said, "Don't you dare even try to scratch her!"

It was Ino and Shikamaru, who, was holding down Sasuke's shadow.

Sakura was looking around for Lee but it seems like he's fighting with two Sound ninjas, Tenten was also fighting with other Sound ninjas. Ino made her Shin Tenshin jutsu hand seal and said, "I'll drive you out of here, you good-for-nothing bastard!"

Sasuke just smirked and remarkably escaped Shikamaru's Shadow Manipulation jutsu. He kicked Shikamaru in the face and…

"Ino, NO!" Sakura screamed.

"NINPOU!" Ino spoke swiftly, "SHIN TENSHIN-"

Too late – Sasuke was able to punch her on the gut and made her unconscious.

_TBC…_


	6. Chaos

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(From the last chapter…)**

Sasuke just smirked and remarkably escaped Shikamaru's Shadow Manipulation jutsu. He kicked Shikamaru in the face and…

"Ino, NO!" Sakura screamed.

"NINPOU!" Ino spoke swiftly, "SHIN TENSHIN-"

Too late – Sasuke was able to punch her on the gut and made her unconscious.

**(Chapter 6 – Chaos)**

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows and grabbed two kunais and assumed her fighting position, "I don't know what happened to you."

"You did this to me, Sakura." Sasuke hissed, "And because you did, I have to eliminate YOU!"

Sasuke dashed towards Sakura but then, somebody blocked his attack.

"Hey Sasuke-idiot!" it was Naruto blocking Sasuke's attack, "Sakura-chan's innocent! She didn't do anything wrong! What's up with you!"

Sasuke and Naruto parted and Sasuke harangued, "You… All of you… Are a nuisance in my life!"

Sasuke gathered his chakra on his palm and a familiar buzzing and crackling can be heard – Chidori.

He dashed towards Naruto at a remarkable speed with his Chidori. Although Naruto tried to block it off with his Rasengan, it was still no match because Sasuke's Chidori is also powered by his curse. Naruto failed.

"NARUTO-KUN!" Hinata gasped as she watched in terror of what had happened.

Hinata tried to approach him but it was just a piece of log. Sasuke also noticed that he just attacked a log and as he looked up, he sees Naruto hurling a shuriken at him.

"Naruto!" Neji called, "Are you insane! Your wife is pregnant! Get her out of here right now! If she gets killed, I'll kill you! I'll take it from here!"

Sasuke evaded the shuriken and Naruto landed safely on the ground. And wasting no time, he carried Hinata in his arms and got away from the area.

"Haruno!" Neji spoke, "Where's that Lee!"

"I-I don't know…" Sakura uttered, confused of what was happening, "He was just here a while ago…"

"Darn him." Neji cursed under his breath and faced Sasuke, "Looks like my hunch is right. You did come back after all, didn't you, Uchiha?"

"You just knocked off my girl!" Shikamaru yelled, finally standing up, "That's not a way to treat a woman!"

"BYAKUGAN!" Neji activated his Byakugan and attacked the Sound ninjas dashing towards him.

"Sakura!" Lee called, "Are you okay?"

"NINPOU!" Shikamaru whispered while Sasuke was busy fighting with two Anbus, "SHADOW MANIPULATION TECHNIQUE!"

Sasuke stood frozen and cursed, "Again! Persistent creature!"

It was a good thing that more Anbus appeared to disable Sasuke but more Sound ninjas surrounded Lee and Sakura.

"I won't be able to knock them all down." Lee told Sakura, panting, "So… Are you ready to fight, Sakura?"

"Of course." Sakura replied with determination as the two began knocking down some Sound ninjas.

"Lee, your obligation is to make sure Sakura's safe!" Tenten reminded as she got some more kunais and threw them towards those Sound ninjas, who wanted to approach Lee and Sakura, "Get Sakura out of the town now!"

"Tenten, watch out!" Neji warned as he pushed Tenten away from a shuriken hurling towards her and blocked the object with his own.

Tenten stood up and prepared her scrolls. She focuses her chakra to her feet and jumps up into the air and opens the scrolls and twirls the two scrolls around her, "Soushoryuu!" she exclaimed as the weapons rained down on the Sound ninjas fighting and approaching Lee and Sakura.

Then, Tenten jumps on a branch of a tree and calculates the area's coordinates. She then leaps on other branches of trees and hides on top of one tree, smirking to herself as she looks at the perfect positioning of her weapons tied on her strings.

Neji throws a nin card at Lee and says, "I know you forgot your nin card, there's that look in your eyes that tell me so. Here's the same copy of the nin card Haruno gave you. Now, take her out of the town!"

Lee caught the nin card and takes Sakura by the wrist, "Let's go!"

As soon as they left, Tenten, taking that as signal manipulated her weapons by using her strings, seriously injuring many, unfortunate Sound ninjas.

Shikamaru and the Anbus were restraining Sasuke while Neji was fighting off some remaining Sound ninjas. Orochimaru seems to be fighting with Tsunade, Jiraiya and Anko.

Lee and Sakura fled the area and Lee grabbed two duffle bags camouflaged by a net of leaves near the Konoha west gate. They were able to reach the harbor outside Konoha and they embarked on a ferry that will take them to the Land of the Mist.

It would usually take 2 and half days in order to reach the Land of the Mist but their ferry was very special – it was faster than any other ferry ships in the Land of Fire.

Lee and Sakura were yet again lucky because they were the last passengers to embark the ship. After they embarked the ship, the ferry immediately leaves.

The two were guided into their room and Sakura sat on a chair, panting.

"I guess Sasuke won't be able to follow you now." Lee told her, sitting on the bed on the left, catching his breath, "Shikamaru held him down and an Anbu Squad was restraining him."

"There's still a possibility." Sakura pointed out, "I just know it…"

"To all passengers: welcome aboard the Konoha Superferry! We will arrive at the harbor outside of the Hidden Mist Village tomorrow, late afternoon." a lady's voice sounded through the speakers, "Right now, please relax for a moment."

"C'mon, the lady's right, Sakura." Lee told the pink-haired woman, "We better get some goodnight's sleep in order to get our stamina back tomorrow."

"I don't know, it feels unsafe." Sakura said, "I mean, Sasuke might attack us anytime if we're asleep-"

"Okay then," Lee commented, "why don't you sleep and I'll look after you. Just get some rest… I mean, your cousin wouldn't be too happy if she sees you with big eye bags, now would she? I'll just sleep tomorrow morning when you wake up."

Sakura smiled at him, "Okay."

After Sakura took a bath, and after Lee took a bath, as well, Sakura drifted off to sleep on the bed on the right side of the room while Lee sat on his bed, watching over Sakura, making sure that no one, and NO ONE harms her.

_TBC…_


	7. Wrong Hallucination

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(Chapter 7 – Wrong Hallucination)**

It was morning. Sakura woke up and took a bath and ate her breakfast, so did Lee. It was Lee's turn to sleep now. And so, Sakura, being so grateful, watched over him this time.

_You always ask me__  
__those words I say__  
__and telling me what it means to me_

Meanwhile… 

Underwater, there was something or someone swimming beside the ferry Lee and Sakura were on.

"_Eliminate her. Eliminate anyone who gets in your way. Eliminate everyone you hate… and everyone who hates you."_ Orochimaru's words rang in Sasuke's mind as he swam beside the ferry.

He was able to free himself from Shikamaru and the Anbu squad restraining him the night before with a little help from Orochimaru.

_Every single day__  
__you always act this way__  
__for how many times I told you__  
__I love you__  
__for this is all I know_

Afterwards… 

"Good afternoon, Ma'am, Sir." The attendant greeted Sakura and Lee who were getting ready; "We're going to dock at the harbor outside of the Hidden Mist Village around 2 hours from now. You may sleep, eat and enjoy while you can aboard this ship."

"Excuse me, Lady." Sakura politely asked, "But do you happen to know how we can enter the Hidden Mist Village? I mean, can we walk up to the gates of the Village and enter?"

_Come to me and hold me__  
__And you will see__  
__The love I give__  
__For you still hold the key_

"Oh my, my!" the attendant smiled, "That's a big no! You can't just walk up the gates of the Mist and enter! There's a bus that will take you from the harbor and into the town. You can walk up to the gates of the Mist, provided that you have a valid permission from a mission-giver, the Mizukage or the Hokage. But for those who have not been given any permission to walk up to the gates of the Mist, you have to ride a bus. The bus will stop before the gate opens and a special class of Mist Anbu will enter the bus and inspect your belongings and your documents."

"Oh, is that so?" Lee reacted.

"Yes, that is so." The attendant lady sweatdropped at the sight of Lee's thick eyebrows, "Do you need anything, Ma'am, Sir?"

_Every single day__  
__you always act this way__  
__for how many times I told you__  
__I love you__  
__for this is all I know_

"No, nothing more." Sakura replied, "That was very kind of you for giving us information on how to enter the village. That's all we need, thank you."

The attendant bowed and excused herself from the two.

"I thought you've been into the Mist village?" Lee questioned as he placed his duffle bag on his bed and sat as well.

Sakura sat on a chair and replied, "Yes, I've been there but I was with Kakashi-sensei along with Naruto and… well, you know. But we only walked up to the gates of the village and as far as I can remember, Kakashi-sensei showed the Mist Anbus some documents and that's the only time they opened the gate for us. I think those documents were permits for the whole team."

"How come you never visited your cousin before?" Lee asked again.

_I'll never go far away from you__  
__Even the sky will tell you__  
__That I need you so__  
__For this is all I know__  
__I'll never go far away from you_

"It's because Kashime was always the one who visits me and my family." Sakura smiled, "I heard she was taught a special genjutsu by the Mizukage, himself."

"Oh?"

"Yup. Kashime is a messenger for the Mizukage and she is a very skilled jounin."

Two hours later… 

Sakura and Lee were seated almost at the rear row of bus seats, on the left, with Sakura near the window.

The Mist Anbu had just finished inspecting the bus and stated that everything was okay and they were allowed to enter the town. The Anbus opened the gates of the Mist and allowed the bus to enter.

_Come to me and hold me__  
__and you will see__  
__the love I give__  
__for you still hold the key_

Lee went in front and showed the nin card Neji gave him yesterday. The driver said he knows Kashime's place and he will take Lee and Sakura there. Lee smiled and thanked the driver, patting his shoulder and leaving him with his job.

"So?" Sakura asked as Lee returned to his seat.

"Luckily, the good man said he knows your cousin's house." Lee replied, "Are you sure you're okay?"

The skies are already filled with stars and the crescent moon illuminating the darkness.

_Every single day__  
__you always act this way__  
__for how many times I told you__  
__I love you__  
__for this is all I know_

Sakura smiled at her bodyguard and told him, "I'm all right because you protected me. Thank you."

Lee blushed a little and bowed, "Well, it's my mission! And else, I promised you when we were still genins, right? I told you, 'I'll protect you with my life', remember?"

Sakura sighed in relief and leaned her back on the bus seat, "Yes, I do. I wish Sasuke could've been a lot like you. So caring, kind, protective, considerate, humorous, and most especially, friendly."

Lee blushed some more and responded, "Really? Well… I guess so. But it's a good thing you dumped him, you deserve much better."

_I'll never go far away from you__  
__Even the sky will tell you__  
__That I need you so__  
__For this is all I know__  
__I'll never go far away from you_

Sakura looked at Lee, "Whoever the woman that will share her life with you is forever lucky to have you."

Lee smiled at Sakura's comment and replied, "Thanks."

"Neji was right." Lee added, "That Uchiha did come back to get you."

"But why?" Sakura asked, "Why would he involve the whole of Konoha when he came just for me? Why does he have to come with Orochimaru and a whole gang of Sound ninjas?"

"I don't know-" Lee suddenly paused. He saw something or someone go past the bus.

_I'll never go far away from you__  
__Even the sky will tell you__  
__That I need you so__  
__For this is all I know__  
__I'll never go far away from you_

"Something wrong, Lee?" Sakura asked, concerned.

"N-no, I thought something went past the bus." Lee replied, "It was a hectic day, it may just be my imagination."

"Oh…"

"_Yeah, it's just my imagination that it was Sasuke."_ Lee thought, _"I'm just tired, that's all. What I thought I saw was all a hallucination."_

It was all an imagination for Lee but then again…

It was Sasuke whom Lee saw go past the bus. And this time, he was now in front of the bus, smirking with those scary Sharingan eyes glaring at the bus.

_I'll never go far away from you__  
__Even the sky will tell you__  
__That I need you so__  
__For this is all I know__  
__I'll never go far away from… you…_

Sasuke gathered his chakra and hissed, "Goukakyu…"

Then, huge flares of flame came from his mouth up to the path where the bus was taking. The bus driver panics and swerves hard to avoid the flames. The passengers gasped at the bus's sudden turn and…

_TBC…_


	8. Undying Vengeance

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(From the last chapter…)**

Sasuke gathered his chakra and hissed, "Goukakyu…"

Then, huge flares of flame came from his mouth up to the path where the bus was taking. The bus driver panics and swerves hard to avoid the flames. The passengers gasped at the bus's sudden turn and…

**(Chapter 8 – Undying Vengeance)**

Lee recognizes who was ahead of them and realizes what was about to happen.

"Sakura!" Lee shouted, wrapping his arms around her to protect her from any impact, "Cover your eyes!"

Sakura covered her eyes with her hands as the bus evaded the flames but was now spinning madly on the road with its wheels screeching on the concrete.

This spinning caused Sakura and Lee to fall on the bus floor but Lee took the impact for Sakura and got bruised in some parts of his body for it. The bus continued to spin out of balance but Lee managed to stand up and walk with Sakura back to their seat. The bus violently wobbled and Lee accidentally got jolted forward with Sakura, causing her head to hit the window.

Lee saw Sakura's head bleeding and she was unconscious. Lee, without a second thought, punched the window with his right hand and this caused him and Sakura several wounds to their bodies because of the pieces of glass. He squatted on the bus seat and then leapt off from the seat and out of the window.

Lee and Sakura rolled round and round on the road while the bus finally got out of balance and tipped off to the side.

Sasuke, who was watching the devastation he made, got hurt from the overturning of the bus but fled the scene so as not to catch any more injuries.

"_I don't care how much people I kill…"_ Sasuke thought, _"As long as I kill THAT woman with them!"_

The bus went off the road and crashed onto the trees there. Lee and the unconscious Sakura were still lying on the road, suffering many cuts and bruises from their escape. Lee heard the impact of the bus onto the trees and the screaming of the passengers, so with all his remaining strength, he stood up with Sakura and walked away from the area fast.

The bus exploded – Lee and Sakura did not get caught in the flames but they did catch the shockwave, causing the two of them to fall once again on the hard concrete, getting more bruises and cuts.

Lee, trying his very best to stand up, looked around for Sasuke, _"I know he did this. But I have to get Sakura some medical attention."_

While the smoke is still thick and black, Lee wasted no time and took Sakura off the road and into the forest near the road.

Sasuke was able to eye Lee's green outfit and his eyebrows furrowed, "They survived!"

Sasuke leapt off the tree he was hiding in and followed Lee's chakra into the forest.

Lee sensed Sasuke's strong chakra, _"No, I have to make sure Sakura's safe… Because that is what I promised her…"_

Lee placed Sakura under a tree and left her there.

"_I have to fight Sasuke… In order for him not to approach Sakura, I have to do this. I will fight with my life on the line!"_ Lee thought as he bowed to the unconscious Sakura and started running, looking for Sasuke head-on.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" Lee yelled, finally getting the attention of the cursed Uchiha, "I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you and what's your reason to kill Sakura but this is what I can swear to you… I'LL KILL YOU FIRST!"

Sasuke laughed, "Really? You? You want to kill me for a useless woman-"

"She deserves a man much better." Lee interrupted, "Haruno Sakura is not a useless woman; she is a woman of strength, friendship, hope, dignity, humility and love. Why can't you just let her move on! You didn't love her, that's why she dumped you-"

Then, a kunai went hurling at Lee, he didn't expect this but he was able to evade it in time, however, he had a small cut on his left cheek. He looked at the now, angered Sasuke, glaring at him with a want to kill.

Lee grinned, "Is there something I said, Sasuke? Wait… don't tell me you're planning to kill Sakura over a stupid reason. You want to kill her because she did not want to marry you anymore? Oh please… Your reason is downright bullshit! You should now better!"

Sasuke hissed, "That's not it! She ruined my life! She did THIS to me! She's the reason why I'm having much more pain in my life! She's a nuisance-"

"Really?" Lee smiled, "Well, I guess you think that way because you ARE a useless idiot who wants nothing but power. Yeah, I can see that."

"Stop talking!" Sasuke shouted, "Let's just fight!"

Lee, without saying another word, went dashing towards Sasuke. Sasuke threw a kunai towards Lee.

Then, Lee sensed Mist Anbus closing by their area, _"I've to wound him enough!"_

Lee was able to kick Sasuke in the gut but he countered this by sending multiple balls of flame towards Lee. Lee was able to evade all of the fireballs but then, he didn't expect that there were shurikens now hurling towards him.

Lee barley evaded all of them, so he got more scratches.

"Who's there!" a strong voice called. It was an Anbu.

"I don't have enough time to play with you, Rock Lee." Sasuke mocked, "So, I'll end this quickly!"

Sasuke gathered his chakra and Lee realized that it was another flame technique, "Ha! I can always evade that attack!"

Sasuke smirked and raised his hand a little as the flame came out from his mouth – there was a string on his hand and this was connected to Lee's left foot.

"N-no way!" Lee exclaimed.

"Hey, I can sense some chakra here!" An Anbu reported.

Sasuke smirked and stopped emitting flames, "I'll let you go this time."

Then, he made a run for it. Still, the flames that he emitted earlier burned Lee. Lee dropped down and rolled on the damp earth and went deeper into the forest.

The Anbu spotted Sasuke and chased him while they never found Lee.

Meanwhile… 

"This is tragic." An Anbu, investigating the bus explosion told his fellow Anbu, "It doesn't seem like this bus had an accident. More like someone was trying to kill them."

"But who?" another Anbu asked.

"Hey!" an Anbu signaled into the forest, "Look here!"

The three Anbus investigating the bus ran where they heard the voice and when they reached the area…

"I observed her cuts and bruises, she's a survivor from the explosion, I can be sure of that." A female Anbu told the three as she checked the pulse of the unconscious Haruno Sakura, "She's still alive."

"Take her to the hospital, quickly!" the Anbu team leader told the female Anbu.

"Yes, Sir!" she replied as she carried the unconscious woman and leapt from tree to tree.

In another side of the forest… 

"Hmmm… This night seems so quiet, don't you think so, my friend?" an old hunter holding his rifle told his companion as they walked through the forest.

Then, his companion stopped in his tracks and the hunter noticed, "What is it?"

His companion pointed his finger in the north direction. The hunter aimed for the person ahead of them but it seems like he's unconscious – or dead.

His companion held his rifle and shook his head, "He's not an animal. We're licensed hunters but that doesn't mean we can kill humans, too."

His companion approached the unconscious man and checked his pulse, "My friend, he's still alive."

"Let's take him to my wife." The hunter said as he placed his rifle into its sheath and he got a homemade stretcher from his backpack. **_(A/N: the homemade stretcher: 2 long, thin bamboo sticks with a wide cloth wrapped around the two sticks, enough room for 1 person in the space allotted in between the two sticks.)_**

The hunter approached his companion and lifted the man dressed in green clothes onto the stretcher and they carried him out of the forest.

_TBC…_


	9. For Protection

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**Oh and just one more thing… I just want to clarify the songs I'll be using for Homebound (from the trailer of _Homebound_ in _A Curse To Kill_):**

**_Akatsuki no Kuruma (Wheel of Destiny/Dawn's Carriage) by Fiction Junction featuring Yuuka (Disclaimer: This song is an insert song in Gundam Seed, and I DO NOT own Gundam Seed.)_**

_**I'll Never Go by Eric Santos (OPM)**_

_**Dear Lie by TLC **_

_**If the Feeling is Gone by Ella Mae Saison, remade by Kyla (OPM)**_

**THANKS TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED _HOMEBOUND_! IT ONLY HAS A FRACTION OF ITS CHAPTERS UP AND IT'S ALREADY A SUPER HIT! THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT! I'LL MAKE SPECIAL MENTIONS SOME OTHER TIME.**

**What you want to know from me about _Homebound_: I'm currently finishing _Chapter 19_ of this ficcy and will start writing _Chapter 20_. And I'm not yet in the highest point of it all – (SPOILER!) the fight between Sasuke and Sakura. The background music for this scene is _Akatsuki no Kuruma_, which means, "Wheel of Destiny" or "Dawn's Carriage". It's a really nice song… Just listening to it makes you feel that the threads of the Wheel of Destiny are binded by the 3 Fates (from Greek Mythology). Especially the last line of the song:**

_Kuruma ha mawaru yo…_

_(The wheels are turning…)_

**That line really is the eye-catching (or ear-catching) part of the song. So I suggest that you should grab a copy of its mp3 in the net. So anyway…**

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**(Chapter 9 – For Protection)**

"Excuse me, Doctor?" an orange-haired woman called a doctor.

"Yes?" the doctor turned around to face her.

"Hi, I'm Haruno Kashime." The orange-haired woman with amber eyes shook the doctor's hand, "May I know the room for my cousin, Haruno Sakura?" **_(A/N: Kashime's clothes are the same as Suzuka's costume in Angelic Layer. Suzuka is Kobayashi Hattoko's angel in those series. Kashime's hair is long and braided into three and then these three pigtails are tied into a high ponytail like Ino's. DISCLAIMER: I don't own Angelic Layer and Naruto.)_**

"Haruno Sakura?" the doctor repeated, "The woman who survived the bus explosion yesterday?"

"Yes, yes."

The doctor approached Kashime closer and said in a low tone, "I'm much sad to say that… Miss Haruno suffered a concussion and this might've shaken her brain a lot… and there's a high possibility that she'll have amnesia… so if that happens… I advise you to change her identity-"

"W-what?" Kashime flinched, "I d-don't understand, Doc."

The doctor sighed and continued, "We need the details for Haruno Sakura first, if you may."

The doctor prepared his clipboard and his pen and made Kashime sit on a chair while he stood up.

Kashime sighed and said, "Okay, my cousin's profile. Haruno Sakura, born in Konoha, 19 years old, a jounin, a licensed medical ninja expert, a student of Hatake Kakashi and later on, the Hokage, Tsunade. Eyes: green, hair: pink, around 5"6, more or less. She's the daughter of my father's younger brother, I'm 4 years older than her and I'm a first-degree cousin of hers."

"Thanks." The doctor smiled, "Now, Miss Haruno Kashime. As far as I know, you're one of the Mizukage's top 5 messengers, and you're a very skilled jounin. But in order not to cause insanity in your cousin's mind, you might want to change her name, and tell her that she should wear contact lenses. The Anbu Headquarters sent the Mizukage a note that among the 34 passengers in the bus explosion, your cousin was a survivor and one passenger was missing and his/her body cannot be found. It's possible that that missing person is the one who helped Miss Sakura get out of the bus or vice versa. However, in the note that the Anbu sent the Mizukage, it's possible that the one who's behind the bus explosion was an assassin. We don't know who is this 'man' trying to kill but even so, there's a possibility that the 'man' is trying to kill her, even if we only know a slight possibility of it. And just to play it safe, Miss Sakura has to wear contact lenses that change the color of her eyes – this is a safety precaution if the 'man' comes back."

Kashime was confused but she nodded. The doctor continued, "If she wants to find a job, again, so that there will be no sudden insanity in her mind, make her find a job not related to being a ninja or any medical fields. Do you understand? Miss Sakura is not a resident of our village so we have to make sure she doesn't go insane if ever she has amnesia."

Kashime swallows the lump in her throat and tells the doctor, "So you're telling me that if Sakura gets amnesia, she should recall her memories very slowly and I have to change her name and alter her lifestyle so that her mind can recall her old memories at a slow and safe rate, is that it? If I mention her real name, her mind will panic, right? So as a safety measure, I have to change her identity. AND as protection from that man who blew up the bus last night, I have to make her wear contact lenses, so that if that 'man' comes back in town, if she was the one he was trying to kill, he won't recognize her, is that it?"

"Exactly." The doctor smiled, "Are we all clear?"

"Yeah."

The doctor bowed and prepared to leave. Kashime thought that she forgot something to ask the doctor, and when she remembered, she stood up from her seat and called the doctor, "Doc! Doc! Hey Doc! The room?"

The doctor turned around and raised his left eyebrow, "Room? What room?"

"My cousin's room?" Kashime smiled.

"Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that, sorry." The doctor chuckled a little and pointed in the direction of the hallway, "Climb the flight of stairs right there until you reach the 4th floor or you can take the elevator. Miss Haruno Sakura's room is 40A3."

Kashime smiled and went on her way, "Okay, thanks Doc!"

"No problem!" The doctor smiled back.

In Konoha… 

"We have to look for Lee and Sakura." Tsunade told her subordinates, "I heard that the bus Lee and Sakura were on exploded last night. We need to make sure they're safe. Call Uzumaki Naruto, I'll send him out for a mission."

30 minutes later…

"WHAT!" Naruto exclaimed, "Tsunade-sama, I'm sorry but I have to turn down this mission. My wife is pregnant and she needs me! If I leave Hinata-chan, she'll be worried sick about me and that is bad for her pregnancy!"

"Well, you made a point." Tsunade pouted, "Okay, I'll just summon another jounin."

Naruto bowed and left the Hokage's office.

Tsunade called her subordinates, "I summon Nara Shikamaru."

15 minutes later…

"WHAT!" Shikamaru exclaimed, "Hokage-sama, I'm terribly sorry but I can't go on this mission. Ino and I are getting married in a week and we're preparing for that! Ino needs my assistance and if I go on this mission, she'll be worried that I won't be able to make it back here alive with… With that Uchiha Sasuke on the loose! I mean, what he did to my fiancée is just… rude! How troublesome!"

Tsunade sighed, "Oh, yes. I forgot about your wedding day. Okay, I dismiss you; I'll just choose another jounin for this mission."

Shikamaru bowed and left the office.

Tsunade sighed and one of her 3 advisors said, "Ma'am, why don't we summon Hyuga Neji? He is after all, a jounin who levels the same with Uchiha Sasuke."

Tsunade looked at her advisor and then to her subordinates, "I summon Hyuga Neji."

17 minutes later…

Tsunade looked at Neji for any signs of refusal.

"I accept this mission." Neji replied.

Another advisor asked, "Won't your wife worry?"

As if it was a matter of coincidence, Tenten knocked on the office door to submit mission reports from the genin teams.

Tenten entered Tsunade's office and gave the papers to her. Tenten noticed Neji was there and she smiled; he smiled back anyway.

"Anyway, while you're here, Hyuga Tenten," Tsunade implied after reading the report, "is it going to be okay if I send your husband to look for Rock Lee and Haruno Sakura in the Hidden Mist Village?"

"Oh, it's okay." Tenten replied.

Tsunade sighed in relief not until Tenten continued, "As long as I'm in this mission, too."

Tsunade's subordinates and advisors' jaws dropped at Tenten's implication. Neji eyed Tenten with worry and said, "No, I can't let you come with me in my mission."

"At least it's better than leaving me worried sick about you while you're away." Tenten pouted, "Tsunade-sama, may I join my husband in this mission?"

Tsunade smiled, "Well, two jounins are better than one, so… Heck, why not? I'll give the two of you your permission scrolls tomorrow morning and I'll send you out of town the day after tomorrow, early in the morning."

Tenten jumped for joy and Neji just smiled.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama!" Tenten exclaimed as she latched her arms over Neji's shoulders.

Tsunade giggled, "Yes, you may go now."

Back in the Mist Village… 

Sakura opened her eyes and realized that she was lying down on a hospital bed, injured.

"Oh, you're awake!" a female's voice echoed in the room.

Sakura slowly stood up and saw an orange-haired woman, slightly older than her.

"W-where am I?" Sakura asked.

"You're in the Hidden Mist Village." The woman replied.

"And… who are you?"

"Of course you don't recognize me! We haven't seen each other for a long, long time, cousin dearest!" the woman cheerfully answered, "I'm Haruno Kashime, your cousin!"

Sakura touched her head and realized that her head was bandaged. Her head started to ache a little, but she also asked, "Who am I?"

"_Oh, snap."_ Kashime thought.

_TBC…_


	10. Living in Denial

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**BE UPDATED! Homebound Chapter 20 is done. And it's very long. Imagine Chapter 10's length doubled. Now, THAT is the size of Chapter 20. I'm starting to write Chapter 21 and hoping that the peak would be in this chapter, if not, then, it goes to Chapter 22.**

…**Estimated chapters, all in all: More or less, 30 Chapters. WHOPPING!**

**_AUTHOR'S SPECIAL MENTIONS: Okay, these people are the regulars in reading HOMEBOUND, so I would like to thank the following:_**

_**neon kun (**I thank you for really watching out for every single chapter!_

_**Akira Ruyiko** I'm honored to be in your Alert List!_

_**Byakugan VS Sharingan**_

_**Ayumi-Aldaba**_

**I hope that you will all still continue reading this fic! And for those who aren't mentioned, I also want to thank them. I LOVE YOU ALL!**

**Without any further ado…**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"W-where am I?" Sakura asked.

"You're in the Hidden Mist Village." The woman replied.

"And… who are you?"

"Of course you don't recognize me! We haven't seen each other for a long, long time, cousin dearest!" the woman cheerfully answered, "I'm Haruno Kashime, your cousin!"

Sakura touched her head and realized that her head was bandaged. Her head started to ache a little, but she also asked, "Who am I?"

"_Oh, snap."_ Kashime thought.

**(Chapter 10 – Living in Denial)**

"… _In order not to cause insanity in your cousin's mind, you might want to change her name…"_ The doctor's words rang through Kashime's ears.

"Y-you're my cousin." Kashime replied.

"Yeah, but what's my name?" Sakura asked more calmly.

Kashime swallowed the lump on her throat and sighed to get rid of the nervousness and fear she's feeling inside, "Your name is Ayumi. Mikiyo Ayumi."

"Mikiyo Ayumi…?" Sakura repeated.

"Yeah, you're uhm… 19 years old and you were born here, in the Mist Village." Kashime smiled.

"Is that so?" Sakura said.

"Yup!" Kashime assured.

After 1 hour… 

Kashime sighed in relief, _"Now I have to remember all the things I've said… Her name is Mikiyo Ayumi… Mikiyo Ayumi… Mikiyo Ayumi… Sheesh, I have to get rid of the name 'Haruno Sakura' in my memory... Harsh fate…"_

Sakura went back to sleep after interrogating Kashime about her identity.

"So?" it was the doctor Kashime talked to earlier along with another doctor, "How was she?"

"She's fine." Kashime sighed in relief, "Well I think she is. When is she going to be released?"

"Tomorrow's fine." The doctor replied, "A little home treatment for her will be enough. She should stay in bed for 3 more days however, you should stroll her around the town on the 4th day, okay?"

"Yes Doctor." Kashime stood up and whispered to the doctor, "Can you do an 'eye checkup' on her so that when I buy her contact lenses, she'll think the purpose of those things are for her eyes and not for her protection? I changed her name to Mikiyo Ayumi, by the way."

The doctor smiled and nodded, "As you wish."

"Well, I have to do a major shopping now for her clothes and stuff." Kashime smiled, "I guess I'll be spending my big salaries after all. Goodbye, Doc! Take good care of her, okay?"

The doctor nodded. Kashime left and the doctor, who was unknown to Kashime, grinned to himself, licked his lips and hissed in his mind, _"Your prey is still alive… My dear Sasuke…"_

The next day… 

"Okay." The doctor said as he wrote something on his clipboard, "Miss Mikiyo, you'll be needing optical wear. It would be advised if you use contact lenses, though."

"Why? What happened to me anyway?" Sakura asked.

"Hmmm…" The doctor prolonged, "You fell into a trap pit while you were walking with your cousin, Miss Haruno Kashime near the forest."

"Oh… That must be very clumsy of me. But uh… How did I get amnesia and how what caused my eyes to need optical wear when I see very clearly?" Sakura asked.

"You got amnesia because you fell into the pit. The pit was around 6 to 7 feet deep and that gave you scratches, cuts, bruises and your head continuously hit the walls of that pit, resulting your brain to shake tremendously causing a severe concussion thus resulting into unconsciousness and amnesia. The dust from the pit has entered your cornea, but just in time, it seems like you closed your eyes while falling into the pit because you didn't want to see any of what was happening to you." The doctor explained.

"But Doctor, I can see very clearly-"

"Ohohohoho..." the doctor warned, "You may be saying that but later on, you may experience blurred surroundings. I'll also prescribe an eye cleanser just to purify your cornea from those dusts. I'll just hand over the prescription to your cousin. I think Miss Haruno will be taking you to her residence for some beauty rest."

"Ooh… Okay." Sakura smiled.

The doctor smiled back, "I'll be leaving you now, Miss Mikiyo. You may rest a little while you wait for Miss Haruno to pick you up."

Sakura nodded and waved goodbye.

At the Mizukage's office… 

"You summoned me, Mizukage-sama?" Kashime bowed before the old Mizukage.

"Indeed." The Mizukage replied, "I'll ask you to deliver a message to the Hokage and the Kazekage. I'll also ask you to do a mission while you're at it. This will be in 2 weeks time."

"I accept, Mizukage-sama." Kashime replied.

"Oh and…" the Mizukage prolonged, "How's your cousin?"

"She's fine."

"You've been lying to her, haven't you?"

The words of the Mizukage silenced Kashime. She knows very well that he was her sensei ever since she was still a genin and that he hates liars.

"It's a necessary procedure, Mizukage-sama." Kashime nervously replied.

"I don't mind you lying to your cousin. The doctors told me that she needs a very slow process to regain her memory. Lying and hiding her real identity is a must. But let me remind you, Kashime, Sakura is not from our village. She's a foreigner. And you must know, just like you were my student, Sakura was a student of the current Hokage."

"I don't understand, Mizukage-sama." Kashime said.

"As your mentor, it would be very hard for me to take that you die in a mission. I'm not only your master, Kashime, but I AM also your teacher. The same way goes to Sakura. If Sakura dies, the Hokage will be depressed because Sakura was her student." The Mizukage explained.

"So you're saying that I must do everything to protect her? Because if she dies… it's possible that the Hokage will hold hate against us and a casualty may rise… of bringing war? I mean, the Hidden Leaf versus the Hidden Mist?"

"EXACTLY." The Mizukage firmly answered, "Well, you should get going now."

Kashime stood up and nodded. She bowed before her sensei and left the Mizukage's office.

_TBC…_


	11. Home Sweet Home,,, Is it?

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_AUTHOR'S NOTES: _from here on in, once I mentioned the name 'Mikiyo Ayumi', this technically refers to Haruno Sakura, okay?**

**(Chapter 11 – Home Sweet Home… Is it?)**

"Hello cousin dearest!" Kashime exclaimed as she went in the hospital to fetch Sakura.

It was the day after the Mizukage talked to Kashime. After that, Kashime made a major shopping and now, Sakura's new stuff are already arranged in Kashime's residence… with some help from her Mizu Bunshins to get the job all done.

"Not too loud, Kashime." Sakura smiled, "How are you?"

"How am I? Hey, I should ask YOU that question!" Kashime giggled, "Are you ready to go?"

"Go…? Go where?" Sakura asked.

"Ayumi, you're going home!" Kashime exclaimed, "You better get ready! Here, I brought you some clothes. Get dressed."

Kashime handed over the paper bag to Sakura.

"Wait here okay? I'm just going to the information desk and I'll get you a nurse to help you dress up. I'll be right back, cousin dear!"

"Stop calling me 'cousin dear', Kashime." Ayumi sweatdropped.

Kashime giggled and went out of the room. When she arrived at the information desk…

"Yes Ma'am, how can I help you?" the nurse smiled.

"May I have the outgoing papers for Haruno Sakura?" Kashime asked, "Her doctor said she can be released today."

"Please wait, Ma'am." The nurse stood up and opened the file cabinet.

"Hey there, Miss Haruno." The doctor of Sakura said.

"Here are your cousin's 'eye check-up' papers." He continued, "Anyway, you should be careful. Even if she has fully changed her identity, there's still a berserk man out there. As of now, we don't know where he is."

"We shouldn't worry about that, Doc." Kashime smiled, "Have you forgotten? I'm a highly-trained jounin! I'm better than any Anbu."

"Even if you were an elite Anbu squad leader, let's not forget that the man who did this to your cousin just killed 32 people, injured 2 people, who include your cousin and her companion who survived the tragedy… And I know you're aware that this man also killed all three gate Anbus."

"Here you go Ma'am. Just sign there, at the bottom of the paper." The nurse smiled as she handed Kashime the outgoing papers for Ayumi.

"Thank you, here you go." Kashime replied as she finished signing the papers, "Oh and, can you please go up in room 40A3 to help my cousin dress up? And please, redress her wounds. Tell her I'll be back in a while."

"Okay." The nurse bowed and made her way to Sakura's room.

The paper was still in Kashime's hands and she crossed out the name 'Haruno Sakura' on the paper with the pen. Then, she wrote 'Mikiyo Ayumi' on top of the blurred words.

"Well, thank you for everything, Doctor." Kashime said as she gave the papers to the other nurse on the desk, "I need to get going now. I still have to buy my cousin's contact lenses."

In Konoha…

"Here are your permit scrolls." Tsunade gave Neji and Tenten the scrolls, "You'll be needing those to enter the Hidden Mist gates. Those scrolls give you authority to ask any jounin, any ninja, any Anbu, anyone in authority of the town about the bus accident and the whereabouts of Rock Lee and Haruno Sakura."

Neji and Tenten took the scrolls.

Tenten said, "So we're leaving tomorrow, right?"

"Most certainly."

In the Hidden Mist, nightfall…

"Here we are! Home sweet home!" Kashime opened the door of her house and let Sakura in.

"Wow! This is where we live, Kashime?" Ayumi said, astounded by the place.

"Yup." Kashime replied as she showed Sakura her room, "And this is your room!"

Ayumi's room has a big cabinet on the right; a bed in the center of the room, with a big window with hazy green curtains just a couple of feet away above the bed, showing the moon and the stars. The room also has a big window on the left side, with dark blue curtains. There was another door in the room, just about six feet away from the bedroom door.

Kashime walked up to this door and opened it, "Tadaa! This is this room's bathroom!"

"Wow!" Ayumi gasped.

Ayumi opened the cabinet and saw a lot of clothes with shoes on the bottom part of the cabinet, "I also wear these nice clothes?"

"Yes." Kashime replied with a sweatdrop.

"_I almost spent all my salary savings just to buy those tons of clothes! I even have to make 2 Mizu Bunshins from the mall to carry all those things into the house! I even made 10 Mizu Bunshins to clean up this room and the whole house, wash those clothes and iron them, and even to arrange all the stuff in the cabinet!" _Kashime thought, _"I bought tons of stuff like hairpins, socks, shoes, brushes, combs, paper, pens, pencils, gloves, notebooks, etcetera, and etcetera just for this place to look like you lived here for a long time! Not to mention your contact lenses, your bandages, your medicines, your antibiotics and wound treatments!"_

"Now, now Ayumi." Kashime said, "You should stay in bed for up until tomorrow."

"Oh?" Ayumi replied, "Why so?"

"It's because the doctor said so!" Kashime pouted.

"Hmph!" Ayumi pouted back and sat on her bed.

The next day…

Kashime looked at her wallet, "All I have left is half of my salary savings from last month!"

Then, she opened her drawer and took a small box out, "I forgot to give this to her."

Kashime took it with her and got out of her room and into Ayumi's bedroom.

Ayumi was awake, "Good morning, Kashime!"

Kashime threw the box at her and Sakura fetched it. She asked, "What's this?"

"Your contact lenses." Kashime replied, "The doctor says you really need it."

"Uhm, Kashime…"

"Yeah?"

Ayumi said, "I've been thinking lately… And found out I want a job."

"You want a what!" Kashime exclaimed.

"I said, 'I want a job'." Sakura repeated, "I feel like working."

"Okay, I'll do the job hunting later and I'll take you to wherever I found a job for you tomorrow. What you need right now is rest. Your wound on the head is almost cured. And else, the doctor said that you need 3 more days in bed. So, I'll take you out for a quick interview tomorrow and ask if you could work after 2 days, okay?" Kashime explained.

"Sounds fine with me!" Ayumi concluded, "Hey, wait a minute! You said I only have to stay in bed for until today!"

"Hey! Don't you question the doctor's orders!" Kashime hushed her cousin, placing her hands on her hips.

In Konoha…

"You think we'll be able to find Lee and Sakura?" Tenten asked Neji as they reached their compartment in the Konoha Superferry, the same ferry that took Lee and Sakura to the Hidden Mist. Well, it's just not the same room as they where in.

"What makes you say that, Tenten?" Neji asked his wife.

Tenten sat down on her bed and said, "I think Uchiha Sasuke got them for good."

Neji just eyed Tenten and thought, _"She's right."_

_TBC…_


	12. Twisted Paths

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_Ayumi-Aldaba:_ Actually, I got the name of 'Ayumi' from a JPop singer named Hamazaki Ayumi. She's so darn good like Nami Tamaki (my fave JPop singer), that I even chose her name in place of Sakura! Hehehe, but since you're reading this fic, let's also put it that way… That Mikiyo Ayumi's name also was from your nick. -Smiles-**

**_Neon-kun_: I read your fics! (I just wish you read my reviews…) Fantastic! Fantastic!**

**I'm also glad many Filipinos are also reading this ficcy! I'm a 14-year-old Filipina! Wahahahaha! So I crave a lot of reviews! -eherm-**

**Oh and I will post a NejiTen fic… It's entitled Tenten's Surname. It's a humor fic, so… I hope you guys would read it!**

**BE UPDATED! I'm done with HOMEBOUND Chapter 21 (SPOILER! And it's very cheesy!) and I guess the intro for the peak of this whole fic will be in Chapter 22. I'm starting to write Chapter 22, and I think the highest peak will be in Chapter 23, and (SPOILER!) Chapter 23 will be entitled** **_Akatsuki no Kuruma_.**

**DID YOU DO IT? Did you do what I told you? To search for lyrics (with translation) of the song _Akatsuki no Kuruma_ by Fiction Junction feat. Yuuka? Okay, it's a song from _Mobile Suit: Gundam Seed_, just to help you guys out with the search. Look at the translation of the song and even try to download the song! It's really cool! Violins are great! This song will be used in Chapter 23.**

**Anyway…**

**WARNING! This chapter also contains slight NejiTen moments…**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"You think we'll be able to find Lee and Sakura?" Tenten asked Neji as they reached their compartment in the Konoha Superferry, the same ferry that took Lee and Sakura to the Hidden Mist. Well, it's just not the same room as they where in.

"What makes you say that, Tenten?" Neji asked his wife.

Tenten sat down on her bed and said, "I think Uchiha Sasuke got them for good."

Neji just eyed Tenten and thought, _"She's right."_

**(Chapter 12 – Twisted Paths)**

"Forget what I've said, Neji." Tenten smiled, "What the hell was I thinking? Hokage sent us in this mission because she's sure they're still alive! Let's not give up hope, shall we?"

"Yes, we shall." Neji sighed.

Then, he noticed the look of anxiety in his wife's eyes. He sat beside her and said, "You know what? I also doubt that they're alive, even if the Hokage is sure that they are."

"Uchiha Sasuke is a wild man on the loose right now." Tenten placed a hand on her forehead, "And stop it, Neji. It's not in your nature to worry about people."

"Oh?" Neji placed his hand on her chin and gently made her face him, "I worry about you the most."

Neji slightly tilted Tenten's head and locked his lips on hers. She broke the kiss and started crying, "Thank you but still…"

"Lee is our friend, and so is Sakura." Neji placed his arms around his wife, "Let's not put Fate to the test."

"How ironic!" Tenten slightly giggled at his comment.

"Hey, even if you're my wife, I can really say you're weird." He chuckled, "You were crying just a while ago and now you're laughing? Is there something that I said?"

"Yes." Tenten smiled, "Funny how you used to tell everyone that Fate is something we can never change and now you say, 'Let's not put Fate to the test'! You really did change for the better, Neji."

Neji kissed her forehead and replied, "I realized that Fate is not really cruel – I mean, yeah, it can be most of the time but I learned that if we hoped and wished for something better, we can change Fate – no matter how cruel it is."

"So you're saying?" Tenten wiped her tears.

"I'm saying that Lee and Sakura are still out there, despite the fact that Uchiha is still hunting them down." Neji concluded.

The next day…

"Hey sleepyhead!" Kashime stormed Ayumi's room while drinking coffee, "Wake up, found a job for you and fixed your interview today."

Sakura opened her eyes and said, "Five more minutes…"

"Five more seconds or I'm canceling your job interview and ask the employer to find another!" Kashime threatened.

Ayumi just let out a sleepy groan.

"1!" Kashime counted, a vein popping out of her forehead.

"2!"

"3!"

"Still not up? 4!"

Kashime finished her coffee and said, "4 and a half!"

"Yes Ma'am, I'm waking up!" Ayumi groggily sat up and crossed her arms, "Geez, no need to be harsh on an injured person!"

"Hey, hey!" Kashime pointed out, "You said you wanted a job!"

"Yeah, but!"

"5! Okay, I'm canceling the interview." Kashime said, closing the door.

Ayumi stood up quickly and grabbed her towel, "No! I'm already gonna take a bath, Boss!"

Then, she hurried to the bathroom.

"And don't forget to wear your contact lenses before we leave!" Kashime reminded.

After an hour…

"Good morning, Miss Haruno Kashime. Is this your cousin you told me about yesterday?" a kind old lady, around her 60's asked.

Sakura had her lenses on, now her eyes are violet. She bowed before the old lady and greeted with a sweet smile, "Good morning, Ma'am!"

"Yes, Mrs. Koshii, I'd like you to meet my cousin, Mikiyo Ayumi." Kashime politely introduced.

Mrs. Koshii looked at the résumé and said, "I want you to know, Miss Mikiyo that if you really want the job, let me tell you first that you will be working in a Daycare Center, if ever you get hired, that is. So, do you love kids?"

"Oh! They're adorable! Don't worry, Mrs. Koshii, I can handle even the most stubborn ones!" Ayumi jumped for joy, hearing 'kids'.

"Ah, I see you really love kids. But your cousin said you're injured and that the doctor advised you to be in bed in 2 more days?" Mrs. Koshii implied.

"Oh yes, I can work on the day after tomorrow. All I need is just a little bit rest, that's all." Sakura happily told her.

"Well then, you're hired!" Mrs. Koshii said, "I'll be giving you a lesson plan right now so that while you're resting, you know what to do once you're in this institution. I am Mrs. Koshii Teya and I am the employer and head of this Daycare Center you're going to work for. Welcome to the Hidden Mist Daycare Center, Miss Mikiyo Ayumi!"

Ayumi shook Mrs. Koshii's hand and smiled, "I'm glad to be working here, Mrs. Koshii!"

At the Hidden Mist Gates…

"Halt! You are not allowed to enter unless you have a permit!" a Gate Anbu told Neji and Tenten.

Neji showed the two scrolls Tsunade gave them and the Anbu opened the gates, "I'm very sorry to trouble you, Mr. and Mrs. Hyuga."

"No need to apologize." Tenten smiled and took back the scrolls, giving them to her husband, "It's your job anyway."

The Anbu bowed at them.

In a small group of wooden houses in the middle of the Hidden Mist forest…

A groan was heard in the room.

The old lady dropped her broom and hurriedly approached the man her husband brought from a few days back; a man with incredibly thick eyebrows but terribly bruised and wounded.

Her husband was a hunter, and so is his companion. They found this man in the forest and took him into the old lady's house.

"Dear, he's waking up!" the old lady called her husband.

Lee opened his eyes and when his surroundings seemed clear, he faced the old woman beside him, "Where am I…?"

_TBC…_


	13. Evil Lurking Within Evil

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_neon-kun:_** **I also liked your stories, and I appreciate that you supported HOMEBOUND from start to finish. Have you read A CURSE TO KILL? It's actually the prequel of HOMEBOUND, meaning to say, this fic is the sequel of A CURSE TO KILL. Betcha know that already, what the heck? –slaps her face- Hehehe!**

**_Ayumi-Aldaba_: OMG! You also love Hamazaki Ayumi! I looooove her songs! Well… not as much as I love Nami Tamaki's songs. Do you also like Nami Tamaki? Oh and, from what country are you from, by the way? Your nick sounds very… Indian.**

**_Akira Ruyiko_: -eyeballs dropping- Uhm, if I made Lee have amnesia, too… Well, that will make a lot of trouble and make this fic more confusing… when it is already! You know, sometimes when I write this fic, I have to go back to other chapters, which are done, so I could clarify things out and refine perspectives. Anyway… The answers to the "Lee-thing" is right here in this chapter. The "Sasuke-where-is-he-part"… Oh hell… you'll know… pretty soon!**

**_mysticbluefox_: I really LOVE it that you LOVED this fic! Get it? Get it? –slaps her face again- Damn, corny jokes… Thanks, by the way!**

**_Lady Light_: Hmmm… This chapter including Chapter 12, I just wrote them within a day! Whoo! Yeah, tell you what, this chapter is like… a turning point of the whole story. I mean, this is where all things become more blood-rushing and heart-pacing. Well, just read it and you'll get what I mean! –smiles-**

**BE UPDATED! My other fic, _TENTEN'S SURNAME_ is already out. And I'm still planning around 3 or 4 fics after HOMEBOUND. No, they won't be sequels, well, one out of those 3 (or 4) is a sequel for A CURSE TO KILL but I'm not sure if I'm still going to write a somewhat, epilogue of epilogue of HOMEBOUND. 2 out of those 3 or 4 are sure to be posted. One is the epilogue of epiloge of A CURSE TO KILL and the other one is another fic entitled, _Being Hokage_, starring Haruno Sakura as 6th Hokage.**

**Hey, we all know that Sakura is destined to be successor of Tsunade because, she is the apprentice, the student, the disciple (aside from Shizune) of Tsunade. And yes, expect a lot of OOC-ness of Tsunade in _Being Hokage_. As of now, this fic is still on paper and not yet done. Hell, it's not even encoded yet!**

**Moving on…**

**WARNING! This chapter also contains slight NejiTen moments…**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Dear, he's waking up!" the old lady called her husband.

Lee opened his eyes and when his surroundings seemed clear, he faced the old woman beside him, "Where am I…?"

**(Chapter 13 – Evil Lurking Within Evil)**

"You're in the Hidden Mist Village, son." The old lady's husband replied, "I found you half-dead in the forest. What happened to you?"

"It's a twisted story of how I ended up like this, you know…" Lee told them, "I'm very thankful you mended my wounds. I hope I can pay you back in return."

"I'm Yoka and this is my husband, Tonde." The old lady smiled, "Where are you from? And what's your name?"

"I'm Rock Lee from Konoha… You can call me Lee. Uhm, and where am I in the Hidden Mist?"

"In a forest." Tonde answered, "In a small group of houses of hunters like me."

"How long have I slept?" Lee questioned.

"Quite some time." Yoka smiled, "And I'm sure you're very hungry now, aren't you?"

Lee's stomach grumbled and he blushed, "Well, yes."

In the Hidden Mist: Mizukage's office…

"So the Hokage sent the two of you?" the Mizukage read the permission scrolls from Neji and Tenten.

"Yes, and I'm sure you know why." Neji replied.

Then, one of the advisors present in this occasion approached the Mizukage and whispered, "Tell them you don't know anything about the missing people in the accident. It's better because remember, one of the 2 they're looking for is still undergoing treatment."

"No." the Mizukage did as advised.

"What? You don't know?" Tenten said in great shock.

"You mean the accident?" the Mizukage spoke, "Yes, I do know that."

"We're here to confirm if Rock Lee and Haruno Sakura, both passengers from the accident, are dead or alive." Neji went straight to the point.

"When the Anbu investigated the bus, the victims were thoroughly burned, some became ashes and some carcasses but their physical features are hardly recognizable. All documents in the bus are now nothing but dust." The Mizukage briefly told them, "But we are not sure if there were any survivors. Anyway, to make your visit of use, I'm giving you full authority to search any part of the Water Country for these Rock Lee and Haruno Sakura you're talking about."

"Then where is Haruno Kashime?" Tenten wisely asked, "Is she here?"

"Haruno Kashime is one of my messengers. She is not here; she's delivering a message to the Hidden Falls." The Mizukage lied.

"Didn't the Gate Anbus count how many passengers there were before the tragedy?" Tenten interrogated.

"They did. However, the mastermind behind the tragedy killed all 3 Gate Anbus who were present there, during the tragedy." He said.

"Tenten, let's go." Neji whispered.

"We'll be leaving now, Mizukage." Tenten bowed with Neji, "Thank you for everything."

When the two left, the Mizukage placed his chin on his left palm and his other hand on his forehead, "What a great sin I have just made."

"No one will know." The advisor said, "Only you and me, and those two were around in this conversation. Aside from us, I guarantee you, no one else, Mizukage-sama."

"Never mind." The Mizukage said, "I summon Haruno Kashime. I have a message for her to deliver to the Hidden Sand."

"Most certainly, Mizukage-sama." The advisor turned his back and his eyes turned yellow. He was Orochimaru in disguise.

Meanwhile…

"I can't believe this!" Tenten whined, "Gee, for a Mizukage, he sure is dumb!"

"Tenten, not too loud." Neji advised, "People might hear you."

"I mean, honestly Neji, how could he not know or care about an accident that happened in this town and that those passengers are mostly from Konoha!" Tenten reasoned.

"Yes, I'm really disappointed that he did not meet our expected answers, or even give us more information about this." Neji replied.

"Now we don't know where to start."

"Well, at least he gave us authority to ask anyone." Neji smiled at her.

Tenten chuckled at his smile, "Are you okay, Neji?"

"Yes, I am." He told her, "Why not?"

"It's because you're smiling in a time when we're having a problem."

"To lighten up the load, Tenten. You're too tensed." He chuckled back at her.

"I am not tensed!" she pouted.

Then, Neji felt a bad aura around them. He stopped in his tracks and so did Tenten. Tenten saw in her husband's eyes that he has just sensed something bad – very bad.

"Byakugan." Neji said under his breath and the veins around his eyes popped out.

"Tenten, we better hurry. If we can't bring back Sakura and, or Lee, then we could arrest Uchiha Sasuke." Neji said.

"True." Tenten replied.

After a few seconds, Tenten got his point – Sasuke was there… somewhere.

"Where is he!" Tenten asked.

"Not too far from here." He confirmed, "Let's hurry."

Neji ran and Tenten followed.

Then, they ended up in a forest. Neji stopped and so did his wife.

"Now what?" she asked.

"He's here." He replied, "Get ready for some serious combat."

"Gotcha, Neji." She nodded, getting a kunai from her pack.

The couple assumed their fighting stance and without warning, a stream of fire appeared on their left.

"There he is!" Neji pinpointed the said Uchiha sitting on a tree.

Sasuke devilishly smiled and leapt on the ground. He walked towards them, while they were walking backwards.

"Get behind me, Tenten!" Neji whispered, but still loud enough for her to hear.

"I don't want to!"

"TENTEN!" Neji loudly called.

"Okay, okay!" she then hid behind her husband.

"Well, well, well. Looks like I've got visitors today." Sasuke hissed, "I guess you're here to get some bones broken, aren't you? What's with you, bringing along your wife, Hyuga Neji?"

Neji smirked, "Why do you talk like that? Didn't you bring your girlfriend along? Oh wait, I forgot… You just lost her!"

"Shut up!" Sasuke shouted, throwing multiple kunais at them, Neji, blocking them by throwing shurikens.

Sasuke was now visible under the sunlight. He was, still, filled with the curse, his Sharingan… with more hatred as ever.

"I'll let you know what I've been through, Neji!" Sasuke assumed his fighting position, "Emotional suffering, pain, hatred!"

_TBC…_


	14. Unnecessary Burden

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**Review Replies: Thank you very much for reviewing! The ones below are the personal replies to the following:**

**_neon-kun_: Great! The prequel's title is A CURSE TO KILL. And this chapter is where the fun begins… the heart-racing chapters of HOMEBOUND is finally here, baby! Bada-bing bada-boom!**

**_Ayumi-Aldaba_: Asus… pinahirapan mo pa akong magsalita ng mala-banyagang lenguahe! Noypi ka rin naman pala! Kaw ah… Hmmmph! Uy… 12 years old lang daw siya! Sige, dapat mas galingan mo pa sa English classes mo kasi the way to being a great fanfiction writer is his/her excellence in grammar and composition. It kinda reminds me of myself when I was at your age… I joined at that age… that's almost two years ago! But I've been writing since 10… I wrote my first novel at 11… and everything goes! Just don't think English is boring, kid. Look at me now, I'm 14 and every English teacher tells me that I'm gifted to write, to speak and everything else in the language of English. I may have slight flaws in grammar but likewise, they say I'm still good in English! Hey, don't even dare think where I study… Coz I'll tell you that I'm studying in the best Catholic private high school my city's got to offer. I'm not telling you to study here to get that English voluble, I'm just telling you that wherever you are, YOU'VE GOT TO BE GOOD IN ENGLISH! Di ba, tayong mga Pinoy eh hinahangaan dahil sa angking talento sa Ingles? Pagbutihan mo ah… Watch your grades… Words of wisdom? Be on top of the class. Take down whatever obstacle that blocks your way to intellectual growth and achievement. As they always say, knowledge is power… Well, just don't think that even you'll be the wisest, darned smartest, honorable genius in the whole world… hell; you won't be able to take matters to the extreme and conquer the whole world. All the people would swallow you whole if you did that!**

**And about Nami Tamaki… Yeah, she sings songs for _Gundam Seed _and _Gundam Seed Destiny_. For GS, she sang Believe (3rd Opening Song) and Realize (4th Opening Song) and then for GSD, she sang Reason (1st Ending Song). Nami Tamaki... wahhh… Nami Tamaki… -drools- Hey, wait a sec! What the hell am I doing? I'm a girl! –curses- Mu La Flaga… Athrun Zala…Yzak Joule… Hatake Kakashi… Uchiha Sasuke… Hyuga Neji! –jumps up and down- Nah, I won't be able to take Neji away from Tenten.**

**_Akira Ruyiko (Miyuki)_: You think Sasuke is evil enough? Well, he'll get much, much, MORE evil in this chapter and the later chapters. (SPOILER!) But he will be a little softer and tone down his evilness a bit, also in later chapters. (SPOILER!) And Kashime? She will be a bit evil and antagonist-like in later chapter but it's for the good of all… I mean, it's for the good of Sakura. In the later chapters wherein she is kinda being bad and all, I'm sure you'll think or say, "What the hell is gotten into this woman!" Kashime, being bad… is good. –thumbs up- I assure you of that. A lot of evils are lurking around this ficcy.**

**_Youkai Onigiri_: O.O" We've got ourselves a Sasuke-hater, huh? Well, that's totally okay. It's actually my first time, no, second time encountering a Sasuke-hater. The first one is my schoolmate when she refused reading the prototype of my coming-up fic, _Being Hokage _(which is STILL on paper) after knowing that it's a SasuSaku fic. One question: do you totally hate Sasuke? I mean, I'm not much of a Sasuke-lover (just love it that as a ninja, he's strong… but as a human? Man, learn to love!) I'm more of this Sasuke-praiser. I also don't like it when he doesn't get what he wants he will then take it on other people. Damn, he's naturally evil, I think. Comparison: who is the evilest of them all? Sasuke… or Itachi…? I've got an answer for that! I'M THE EVILEST OF THE TWO, WAHAHAHAHAHA! –chokes- Anyway, now that you've said it, I realized that Orochimaru DOES look like an animenized Michael Jackson. –sweatdrops- How will Sasuke find Sakura? –smiles- You better read the following chapter! Once I get it up, that is!**

**_Byakugan VS Sharingan_: You're half Filipina? So you're half Filipino and half what? American? Italian? French? Malaysian? Singaporean? What?**

**Can you speak Filipino, even just a little bit? And whom between your parents is Filipino? Where are you now? (Just interested to know here gomenasai!) Oh and thanks for the praise you gave me. –bows- And Neji? Suffering? NOOO! I love Neji! –cries- He's my fave character in Naruto! I mean, one of my faves, that is. And yeah, Tenten will ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY kick butt in this chapter. And the Sasuke and Sakura fight? (SPOILER!) The fight was supposed to be in Chapter 23 and it was supposed to be entitled _Akatsuki no Kuruma_, but I will be moving the actual fight between Sasuke and Sakura to Chapter 24 and that chapter will be the one clothed with the title, _Akatsuki no Kuruma_. I'm not yet done with Chapter 23, but I will be renaming it and it tells about the training gave Kashime gave Sakura, to condition her for a toe to toe, nail to nail fight with Sasuke. GET A LOAD OF THAT! Kapow!**

**_sportiegrl_: Well, let's just say it's all in Orochimaru's darkest plans…And yeah, what you just said in your review is exactly the same reaction of Tenten in the last chapter! –sweatdrops- Anyhow, thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**WHEW! That was a TON of replies already! You people are very, very dear to me! Thanks y'all!**

**BE UPDATED! I'm still on Chapter 23 and what is promised as a fight scene between Sasuke and Sakura on this chapter… will have to be moved into Chapter 24 because if I did place the two plots together in one chapter… You'll get dizzy! I mean, even I got dizzy myself!**

**WARNING! This chapter also contains NejiTen moments…**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

Sasuke was now visible under the sunlight. He was, still, filled with the curse, his Sharingan… with more hatred as ever.

"I'll let you know what I've been through, Neji!" Sasuke assumed his fighting position, "Emotional suffering, pain, hatred!"

**(Chapter 14 – Unnecessary Burden)**

"Don't be stupid, Sasuke." Neji made his position, ready to strike him with his Jyuuken.

Neji and Sasuke lunged at each other.

"Neji!" Tenten screamed, anxious for her husband.

Then, an entity appeared behind Tenten, grabbing her wrists and pulling her towards… Uchiha Sasuke.

But how could that be? Tenten can see Sasuke is fighting with her husband!

"I didn't know that you can make handseals with only one hand now, Sasuke." She spoke, "How threatening. It's amazing how you were able to make a Kage Bunshin that fast, without me, seeing you do it or even your Bunshin getting behind me."

Tenten felt cold metal on her throat. He hissed, "Die."

Then, what the Bunshin Sasuke was holding became a log.

"Kawaremi no jutsu. I was holding your wrists but you still managed to make handseals for that!" the Bunshin Sasuke said.

Afterwards, weapons rained down on the Bunshin. Even if this was only a Bunshin, he still managed to evade all of the weapons. Then, weapons after weapons rained down on him more.

Then, finally, a surprise attack from behind the Bunshin finished him off – a kunai from nowhere. The Bunshin disappeared with a puff.

"Gotcha." Tenten smirked in her hiding place.

"I'm afraid not." A cold voice said from behind, "Gotcha."

Tenten's eyes widened to see another Bunshin behind her.

"Oh shit!" Tenten cursed.

She dropped the strings and fell down from the tree. The weapons on the ground disappeared with a puff. Neji was still fighting with the genuine Sasuke; it seems like these men would never give up… they are both skilled. Very skilled. And not to mention, both possess gifts from their respective Bloodline Limits – Sasuke from the Uchiha (Sharingan) and Neji from the Hyuga (Byakugan).

Tenten didn't break her fall, more like she broke a bone on her left arm. She can't move her left arm. She stood up and got a kunai from her pack.

"Tenten!" Neji shouted when he saw the Bunshin making handseals from the tree, "Just go!"

Tenten didn't understand a word that he said because he was also busy fighting with Sasuke.

"What!" she asked.

"Damn it. Why don't you quit it, Uchiha!" Neji made a Bunshin to get Tenten to safety.

The Bunshin Neji was running towards Tenten but it was too late. Streams of fireballs came hurling down on Tenten.

"Tenten!" Neji called, anxious about her wife.

Fortunately, she was able to evade all flames but what she didn't expect were the shurikens hidden behind the flames. She did get cut by these. Then again, when she stepped backward, the Bunshin Sasuke just punched her upper spine.

The Bunshin Neji chased off the Bunshin Sasuke but it disappeared by will. Tenten fell unconscious on the ground. The Bunshin Neji also disappeared by will.

"Curse you, Sasuke!" Neji yelled in vengeance, with what his enemy just did to his betrothed one.

"I was long cursed, Hyuga!" Sasuke hissed, "Now let me do the honors of taking the life of your beloved!"

Sasuke grabbed a kunai and paced towards where Tenten lay. Neji chased after him. Sasuke raised his kunai but Neji was able to get in front of Sasuke and stopped the kunai from hurting his wife further, using his very own hands.

"Foolish man!" Sasuke yelled, "Why do you protect this woman with your life!"

"I'm not like you, Sasuke! I'm not!" Neji yelled back, the blades of the kunai digging deeper in his palms, his blood dripping on his arms and even some on his clothes, "Do not involve Tenten and me into this suffering of yours! It's your fault why the successor of the Hokage died! What's the sense of being in this state of mind when you know you already killed her!"

"She's not dead!" Sasuke implied, "THAT WOMAN is not yet dead!"

"SAKURA IS DEAD, YOU IDIOT!"

"I WANT HER DEAD!" Sasuke retorted, "Orochimaru tells me she's alive!"

Neji blinked for a moment and thought, _"What the hell…? Orochimaru is his informant!"_

Sasuke disappeared with a puff and Neji knelt beside his wounded wife, "Tenten!"

No response.

2 Days Later…

"She's not yet awake." Neji told the nurse in the room, who was checking his wife's blood pressure.

"Well, she got hit pretty hard on the upper spine, so it will take a while for her to regain consciousness." The nurse smiled, "No need to worry, Mr. Hyuga, your wife is fine! It's just that… she's unconscious."

Neji was holding the hand of Tenten as she lay on her bed, while he was sitting beside her. Tenten had her hair down.

"How are your wounds, Mr. Hyuga?" the nurse asked.

"They don't hurt much anymore. Well, comparing from the pain yesterday. Why do they have to be re-stitched again?"

The nurse sweatdropped, "It's because the wounds were pretty deep and we have to do layered stitches to close the wound for faster healing. And you do know what we always tell you, right? Do not-"

"Do not use any ninja technique or any weapons for 10 days. I know, so please stop repeating that to me." Neji said, irritated.

"Please also be noted that you're also a patient here, like your wife." The nurse smiled, "So please don't move around much and don't do what you know, that would be harmful to you."

Meanwhile…

"Today is your first day of work!" Kashime hugged Sakura, who was washing the dishes, "Aren't you excited?"

Ayumi sweatdropped, "You're much more excited than I am, Kashime!"

"Well, yeah!" Kashime spoke, "I'll be gone for three days, more or less."

"Why?" Ayumi asked, with a tone of anxiety and shock.

_TBC…_


	15. A Leap of Fate

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**Review replies…**

**_Danielle Winters_: Thank you for reading this ficcy! Love 'ya!**

**_Inu Gal_: You know, as much as I'd love to read your fics… Somehow, I don't know where's the link since your nick is not clickable, main reason is perhaps you did not sign in when you were taken to the review pop-up (if you're a member of this online organization) or it's either you're not a member but you have your fics in another website. I really, REALLY want to read your fics, but can you please tell me where to find them? After all, you were the one who suggested for me to take a look at them…**

**_Ayumi-Aldaba_: Yes, it's really disappointing for Filipinos who received proper literacy, such as you and me, that it's easy to speak English than our own language. I even feel guilty that I don't know how to write a proper story in Filipino just because I think it's too complex, even if I make it Taglish. It's making me feel like a traitor to my country… I love our language, I appreciate its richness and culture but its complexity is just too much for an English-speaking person such as I. Now the words of Rizal and Quezon are haunting me because I pretty much am devoted to the English language than our Filipino language. -sigh- Now don't get me wrong, I really speak Kapampangan and Tagalog when communicating with my classmates, but I don't know why I can only use these languages orally and not on paper. Geez… I wish I have the mind of Balagtas.**

**Yes, I wrote my very first novel at age 11. It's entitled _Gemini Colony_ and it's a fiction novel. And since I wasn't a master of grammar when I was 11 (and I can pretty much say, I am better now… WAY better!), the story sounds like a pirated CD (with a fake singer with wrong grammars). It's currently undergoing my intensive and meticulous editing, for better refining of the grammar, for the benefit of the story and of the readers as well.**

**No, Athrun Zala, Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi are not my crushes. My crushes are Mu La Flaga and Hyuga Neji. I only admire those 3 because they are a genius and they really do well for the appeal of the viewers. And those 2 whom I mentioned after those 3… I fell for their looks, their cunning abilities, their brains, their volubility… and damn, the way they think. Marvelous, truly marvelous.**

**_lazybluishgurl1013:_ Thank you for the review! Here's the update! Love 'ya!**

**_Byakugan VS Sharingan_: Walang anuman! Ah, now I picture how your family looks like. So I guess you're trilingual, huh? Hmm… lemme see how many languages I can speak… First of all, English, my regional language – which is Kapampangan, the national language – which is undoubtedly Tagalog (or Filipino, which is called nowadays), a bit of Japanese… hmm… I guess I'm also trilingual… 'Coz I can't really speak Japanese vociferously. Oh… and by the way… This is one chapter you shouldn't miss!**

**_draconianloveryinyang_: Wow, thank you for that appraisal, it's really heartwarming. And yeah… Hoy! Pinoy ako! Buo ang aking luob, may agimat ang dugo ko! Hoy… oh Pinoy ako… may agimat ang dugo ko… And finally… Pinoy ikaw ay pinoy! Ipakita sa mundo, kung ano ang kaya mo… Ibang-iba ang pinoy! 'Wag kang matatakot, ipagmalaki mo… Pinoy ako, pinoy tayo!**

**_sweet-angel09_: Did you receive my email?**

**_neon-kun_: Now here's the exact opposite of me! For me, English is fun… I'm not saying our language is not. Without Filipino, I wouldn't live… I can't live a day without saying dialogues in Filipino! My gosh! Even if I ace out English, Filipino… My beloved language, how sorry I am to not master your complexity and to apply it into literature!**

**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu… In the early episodes of Naruto, you remember that part when Naruto stole the forbidden scroll, right? You see, Kage Bunshin no Jutsu is in that scroll and he learned from it. I still can remember someone from that episode stating that only jounins, Anbus and the Hokage know what's written in the scroll. So, in this fanfiction, my sets of characters are jounins, and hell, Sasuke is an Anbu! So now you know why Sasuke can do it, hmm?**

**Anyway…**

**Everyone, this is the start of the heart-pacing, blood-rushing, cold-sweating, fingernail-biting chapters of _Homebound_!**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Today is your first day of work!" Kashime hugged Sakura, who was washing the dishes, "Aren't you excited?"

Ayumi sweatdropped, "You're much more excited than I am, Kashime!"

"Well, yeah!" Kashime spoke, "I'll be gone for three days, more or less."

"Why?" Ayumi asked, with a tone of anxiety and shock.

**(Chapter 15 – A Leap of Fate)**

"Mizukage-sama asked me to send a message to the Hidden Sand Village. So… it's a long trip, pretty dangerous too. Not to worry, cousin dearest! I'm sure you can do all the household duties! And! Don't forget to drink your medicines, your antibiotics and don't forget to apply ointments on your wounds when I'm gone!"

"You sound more like a mother to me!" Ayumi giggled.

"Well, that's how I look out for you… times surely have changed, Ayumi. There are a lot of criminals running about this world."

Ayumi chuckled, "Woo! What a punch line! Is that lifted from the new TV series, the Chronicles of Detective Haruno Kashime?"

Kashime laughed, "Stupid! Who would want me as the main star of a TV show? I suck in acting!"

After the two laughed their lungs out, Ayumi addressed a serious question, "When is your leave?"

Kashime bit her lips and said, "Noon. While you're at work…"

"Well, okay then." Ayumi smiled, "Take care!"

Kashime looked at the wall clock and yelled, "Ayumi, you're late for work!"

"What?"

"YOU'RE LATE FOR WORK!" Kashime shouted once more, throwing Ayumi's handbag to her face, "Go!"

"Wait! My contact lenses!" Ayumi made her way into her room and got the box protecting her lenses and wore them.

After Ayumi's work…

It was nightfall and Ayumi had a smile on her face while she walked down the street. Kashime showed her around once, but even so, it seems like she knows the town roads like pro, well, what that means is that it's as if she lives in the Hidden Mist Village her whole life.

"_Maybe I should go buy candy for the kids! I could give them away tomorrow after their nap!"_ Ayumi told herself happily as she stopped by the candy shop.

"Hello there, young lady!" the old woman in the store said, "What would you like?"

"Well, they're not for me." Ayumi sweatdropped, "They're actually for the kids in the daycare that I work for."

"Here you go." The old lady gave Ayumi empty candy bags, "Just put the candies there and when you're done, go to the counter to pay for them."

"Oh, thank you." The younger woman smiled.

She bought candy canes, swirl lollipops, peppermint candies, chocolate bars, gummy worms, gummy bears, gumdrops, caramel drops, strawberry tarts, and chocolate chip cookies.

Then, she felt something weird.

"_Why am I feeling this way? Why am I feeling as if… someone I know is coming?"_ Sakura asked herself.

Then, shouts from some townspeople shot throughout the place.

"Get him!" she heard.

The old lady hurriedly closed the door of her store and locked it. Ayumi looked through the window and saw a man, being followed by the Mizu Anbus.

"What's going on?" Ayumi asked the old lady.

"It seems the Mizu Anbus found the man who killed their fellow Anbus." The old lady said, "They've been hunting him down ever since."

After paying for the goodies she bought, Ayumi placed the items in her handbag. She walked her way back home when all the commotion was done. The roads were now clear and the night sky is present. She felt scared so she walked faster.

"_What is there to be afraid of? Why am I feeling as if someone is after me?"_ Ayumi thought.

Just to be sure of her self-questioning, she stopped on her tracks and looked back. She sighed in relief because no one was following her. She relaxed but when she faced in front… A man with red eyes and marks all over his body stared at her.

He was badly injured and he had raven hair.

She jumped in fear and asked, "W-who are you!"

"You…" the man said.

Little did 'Ayumi' know, this was the same man who brought her face to face with Death – Uchiha Sasuke.

_TBC…_


	16. A Familiar Face

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(From the last chapter…)**

Just to be sure of her self-questioning, she stopped on her tracks and looked back. She sighed in relief because no one was following her. She relaxed but when she faced in front… A man with red eyes and marks all over his body stared at her.

He was badly injured and he had raven hair.

She jumped in fear and asked, "W-who are you!"

"You…" the man said.

Little did 'Ayumi' know, this was the same man who brought her face to face with Death – Uchiha Sasuke.

**(Chapter 16 – A Familiar Face)**

Sasuke held the wrist of Ayumi and she tried to shake it off, "Let go of me… you… you freak!"

"Quickly! I heard someone from over there!" Ayumi heard.

Just when she felt the Mizu Anbus were coming, she looked back at the man who grabbed her wrist. She was moved with pity.

"W-what do you want from me?" she asked more calmly.

"You… you look like her…" was all he could say.

"Gather the others!" she heard from the Anbus once more.

Her eyes were just fixed on this stranger.

"Don't let go, I'll hide you." Ayumi said as she draped his right arm over her shoulders, "Can you still move your legs?"

He just nodded and she said, "Good, 'cause we're going to run. I can't run as fast as you do but I can take you to safety."

"_Why does he look so familiar? Why do I recognize his face? Why am I doing this? I'm helping a criminal! But… there's something inside me that tells me that I have to help this man, this insane man. Have we met before?"_ Ayumi thought as she ran with the stranger.

She quickly turned to a corner and hid Sasuke in a narrow and dark pathway; a pathway rarely recognized by people. After hiding him, Ayumi walked down the street slowly, when somebody blocked her way.

"Excuse me, Ma'am but have you seen a man with raven hair and red eyes with marks all over his body? Or have you seen anyone gone pass here, with an incredible speed?" it was an Anbu.

"As much as I'm aware, I have been walking down this street to my home and there was no one passing here ever since I got here. I was walking this street alone." She lied.

"_I'm lying to an Anbu? What if this one has the ability to read minds? I'm so dead!"_ Ayumi thought.

"Well, I'm sorry to bother you, Ma'am. Thank you anyway." The Anbu said and ran off.

When the coast was clear, Ayumi went back to the narrow pathway and still found the stranger there. She once again draped his arm over her shoulders and ran with him until she got home.

"This is my cousin's place. She's not here so I'm going to allow you to stay here." Ayumi took him to a vacant bedroom in the house.

When he was already lying on the bed, she noticed that his eyes were already closed and he was breathing heavily.

She removed her sweater and placed her handbag and her sweater on a chair. She went to her bathroom and got some ointments and bandages; she had not used them because she's now only using a small plaster for a small wound left on her forehead after the accident she had. Her wound needed no ointment, just protection from the outside world.

After a short while…

Sasuke found himself in a room and that he was still cursed but this time, the strength lent to him by Orochimaru left his body and he was really tired. He felt he had no shirt on but had a blanket on his body. Most of his wounds were mended, only his right arm remains unclean. He felt someone wiping his arm with a wet towel.

He looked over to his side and saw, what he thought earlier was a Haruno Sakura look-alike.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Ayumi asked, her 'violet' eyes meeting his now, onyx eyes.

"No." he replied.

"Amazing, your eyes are now black. A while ago, they were red!" she smiled sweetly at him.

"…Sakura…" he whispered, having an illusion that the person mending his wounds was a green-eyed lady.

Fortunately, Ayumi didn't hear the word that came from him clearly, "What was that?"

"You look like someone…" he told her.

"Yes, you told me that earlier." She applied ointments and disinfectants to his wounds.

"She's also a medic... like you…"

"Me? A medic?" Ayumi giggled, "You must have a wrong conception! It doesn't mean that mending your wounds makes me a medic! I'm a daycare center teacher… But it feels like I've been mending wounds of several people all my life… It's like a profession to me but I consider it a skill."

"Why… did you help me?" he asked, "You know I'm a criminal… And it's against the law to help someone like me."

"I can't help it." She seriously answered, "There's something telling me you need my help. If I didn't help you, something also tells me that I wouldn't be happy and that I'll be in search of something that's already long gone. I… really don't understand either!"

"What's your name?"

"I'm Ayumi! Mikiyo Ayumi!" she smiled as she began applying bandages, "What's yours?"

"Sasuke." He answered, "Never tell anyone my name."

"You're very secretive."

"None of your business."

"And grumpy." She implied.

After a couple of hours…

Ayumi can feel her eyes are strained. She was sleepy and the contact lenses just made it much more painful. She fed him and cleaned up after him. Right now, he was sleeping.

She finally decided to sleep there. She removed her contact lenses and placed them in a crumpled paper and placed it under his bed. Her green eyes watered because of weariness and she rubbed them with her left hand. She crossed her arms on his bed and placed her forehead on her arms and slept.

While Ayumi was asleep, Sasuke woke up. He found her beside his bed and found stray locks of her pink hair. She tucked them in her right ear and a smile played on his lips, remembering a particular memory wherein Sakura was sleeping under a tree in the Team 7 training grounds.

"_She resembles very well the woman I loved… but I always feared to tell her…"_ Sasuke thought.

_TBC…_


	17. The Barriers are Too High

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_say0narabus_: You're proud being a flip? I know I didn't mention about anyone being _flip_, know that if I did, it's like saying someone is demented. And yes, I know those bands because duh, I'm in the Philippines. Just messing around with you, 'kay? Thanks for the review.**

**_babii-kitti_: Ooh, an army of fluffy bunnies! How adorably scary! Just kidding! Thanks for the review and here's your update.**

**_Darkhope:_ Don't worry, I'm working on the part when and where Sakura gets her memory back. Thanks for the review and here's your update. Nice nick!**

**_Ayumi-Aldaba:_ Ah, I see. I think Asuran Zara is the Japanese name of Athrun Zala. Although in the subtitles, clearly, it is 'Athrun Zala' and not Asuran Zala. Even when I hear Ishido Akira's (Athrun's seiyuu) voice, I still can hear the letter T in Athrun and L in Zala. Hmm… Maybe people perceived Asuran Zara from the original name, "Athrun Zala" because of the slang in the voices of the seiyuus. Tsk tsk tsk, better get a better copy with better subs, Ayumi. –smiles-**

**_jem_: You're welcome and thanks for the review, here's your update. **

**_neon-kun_: Nah, Sasuke doesn't know Ayumi Sakura… or does he? You'll see in later chapters!**

**_Miyuki Tsukada_: Yes, in this story, Sasuke is an Anbu. And your request about fluffs? Hmm… You'll see in later chapters. But NejiTen fluff is in this chapter. Anyway, if I would make Ayumi be called "Sakura" but she is being called by the substitute name, most of the readers would get confused. Thanks, by the way! Wah! You finally changed your nick!**

**_luvKaWali_: Oh yes he does! –cheers-**

**_ShyLittleAngel_: Hmm… if Sasuke knew who Ayumi really is… would he become berserk? Well, this is what you should see of later chapters!**

**_AUTHOR'S APOLOGY:_ I'm really sorry for the late update! And guys, I'm really sorry if the time of update has gradually slowed down. For that, I have two reasons:**

**1. I'm busy with school. Being an honor student and a Sports Editor for the school paper is tough work. These are only two tasks and I still don't know how to juggle them both.**

**2. Writer's block. Every writer gets it and every writer hates it. And supposedly (and unfortunately) I have one right now. I'm still stuck with Chapter 23. So I need a little help.**

**_WHAT YOU CAN DO:_ We can't help it if I'm busy with school. But you can help with removing my writer's block.**

**_THE PROBLEMS_: **

**1. Fight scene for Chapter 24 – Akatsuki no Kuruma (Wheel of Destiny). Sasuke VS Sakura. Setting: clear day, in a forest. Kashime watching the scene on a tree.**

**2. Training scene for Chapter 23 – Recalling the Forgotten Memories. Kashime trains Sakura. Setting: clear day, in a forest. Kashime wants to teach Sakura Suiton jutsus and some moves of her own.**

**_ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS…_: When you submit your review, you can write your suggestion for any of the 2 problems I just posted. If your suggestion rings a bell in my messy mind, congratulations! Note: THOSE WHO WILL DO THIS WILL BE RECOGNIZED AND WILL BE PUT UP THERE IN THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AREA FOUND IN EVERY CHAPTER.**

**Guys and gals, please help me out!**

**Moving on…**

**WARNING! This chapter also contains NejiTen moments… More than ever!**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

While Ayumi was asleep, Sasuke woke up. He found her beside his bed and found stray locks of her pink hair. She tucked them in her right ear and a smile played on his lips, remembering a particular memory wherein Sakura was sleeping under a tree in the Team 7 training grounds.

"_She resembles very well the woman I loved… but I always feared to tell her…"_ Sasuke thought.

**(Chapter 17 – The Barriers Are Too High)**

Then, Sasuke's curse just became much more painful and he felt that Orochimaru's powers are again entering his system. His wounds were closed and healed, burning the bandages with black flames. His Sharingan was activated.

Orochimaru controls his mind again and says, _"Your preys are waiting for you outside, Sasuke-kun… They are your foes! KILL THEM!"_

Sasuke sees Ayumi still asleep and he tried his best to control the outburst and stands up, opening a window and escapes the house.

He meets the Mist Anbus who were still on search and fights with them until dawn. He had his curse controlling him, so his power is just too immense for an Anbu squad or two… or more…

When Ayumi woke up, she looked at the wall clock and found out that she still has 5 hours before she could go to work. She didn't get enough sleep but she was fully awake – her body doesn't like another sleep even if she tries. She gets the crumpled paper under the bed and finds her contact lenses in it. She wears them and throws the paper in the trash bin, which was across the room.

She finds Sasuke nowhere in bed.

"Sasuke?" she called, "Sasuke, where are you?"

No response.

She stands up and notices that the window was open.

"_Maybe he left… Well, most definitely, he left…"_ Ayumi thought and fixes the bed, _"I'll keep the window open, if ever he comes back…"_

Meanwhile…

In the hospital, Neji was seated beside the bed of his wife. He was asleep but he still held the hand of Tenten.

He was sleeping but he felt Tenten's fingers move. This woke him up.

"Tenten?" Neji stood up and walked to the lamp in the corner of the room and turns it on. He walks back to his seat and touches her face, "Are you awake?"

"N-Neji…?" he heard her say.

"Tenten! I'm glad you're awake!" Neji hugged his still weak wife, "I thought you were going to leave me…"

"Stop it, Neji, you're freaking me out." She smiled as she hugged him back, "I'll never leave you. And stop acting like that! Geez, it's not you're nature!"

She felt droplets dripping down her nape – was he crying?

He, Hyuga Neji, a skilled ninja, a representative of Tsunade to the Leaf Anbus, a talented shinobi, was crying? It's not in his nature to cry, nor was it a manly thing to do… But he was also her husband, her lover… Why would he not cry? She was endangered by a mad man like Uchiha Sasuke!

"N-Neji?" Tenten placed a hand on the head the man she loved, "Are you crying?"

Neji was a person who never wanted to cry, and if he did, he didn't want anyone to see his tears.

"I'm sorry, Tenten." Neji managed to speak, "This is my entire fault… If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be like this… If only I thought of leaving that Uchiha the way he was and concentrated more in finding Sakura and Lee, I wouldn't be worrying like this… If only I didn't follow my ego… you would have been safe… I'm sorry…"

Tenten placed her head on his shoulder and was crying as well, never did she hear those words from him, nor have she expected them to come out. She was speechless; this is how much this man loves her. He'll never trade her for anything else; he thinks that her life was much more important than his. She was very happy that she also loved him dearly.

"Don't be sorry, Neji." Tenten managed to say, "Thank you for watching over me."

"Look at me, Tenten." Neji demanded, "Look at me, please."

Tenten looked at Neji, their tears still flowing from their eyes. Their eyes meeting, searching deep within each other's soul.

"I love you very much." Neji cupped both sides of her face, "And I never want to endanger your life. You mean a lot to me… I don't know what I'm going to do without you…"

"You're too obsessed, Neji." Tenten smiled, "I love you, too."

"I admit," Neji smiled back, "I am truly… madly… deeply in love with you."

He bent down and gave her a kiss, a very long, passionate one.

In Kashime's house…

Ayumi heard a loud 'thump' in the vacant room. She went there and saw Sasuke. He was seated on the floor in between the window and the bed. He was wounded again and his Sharingan was fading away. His cold onyx eyes showed her that he was weaker than ever. He needs a lot of rest.

"And just what did you do?" Ayumi asked, getting the same materials she used when she cleaned and sealed his wounds.

"Killed the Anbus." He replied as he managed to stand up.

Ayumi approached the window and closed it, moving the curtains to cover who was in the house.

"And why did you do that?" she asked.

"I love to kill."

"That doesn't give you enough reason to end someone's life." Ayumi said as he took off his black shirt.

"You should care less."

"Enough. You need rest."

"No! My prey is waiting…"

"Okay… Even if you're powerful enough to kill an Anbu or a whole battalion of them," Ayumi placed the materials beside the bed, "you're definitely weak."

Sasuke grabbed a kunai and lunged at her and as if by reflexes, she grabbed the kunai easily by the hole below the grip of the kunai with only her index finger and throws it to the floor.

"Don't call me weak!" Sasuke placed his hands around her throat, "I'm not WEAK!"

_TBC…_


	18. Encounter

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**TO THOSE REGISTERED MEMBERS WHO REVIEWED: I already made a reply by clicking that 'reply' thingy I see for every signed reviews. So check your mails… I should do it or else I'll get kicked out of this webbie! Nooo!**

**NEWSFLASH!**

**1. _HEADLINE:_ Chapter 23 (Training Scenes: Sakura and Kashime) DONE!**

**Chapter 24 (Akatsuki no Kuruma: Sasuke VS. Sakura), ongoing intensive creativity of writing! NOTES: You can still mail in your suggestions for fights scenes in Chappie 24!**

**2. _SIDELINE:_ To all Fruits Baskets fans who are also reading this fic, my very first Fruits Baskets fic, _Deadly Reputations_ is now posted. You can find it on my profile page!**

**Oh and by the way… REVIEWS ARE _HIGHLY_ APPRECIATED!**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Okay… Even if you're powerful enough to kill an Anbu or a whole battalion of them," Ayumi placed the materials beside the bed, "you're definitely weak."

Sasuke grabbed a kunai and lunged at her and as if by reflexes, she grabbed the kunai easily by the hole below the grip of the kunai with only her index finger and throws it to the floor.

"Don't call me weak!" Sasuke placed his hands around her throat, "I'm not WEAK!"

**(Chapter 18 – Encounter)**

"I meant your condition is weak, not the overall you." Ayumi managed to say.

"Even so!" he shouted, tightening the grip around her throat, "I am not WEAK!"

His grip was so tight that blood trickled down from the mouth of Ayumi.

"Sas… Sasuke…" she spoke and placed her hands on his wrists, "Get… off… of me…"

His Sharingan was activated again and this time, he was determined to kill her.

"_Don't! Don't kill her!"_ a voice from the back of his head told him.

He removed his grip from her throat and she fell to her knees, choking out blood and gasping for air. Her blood tainted the floor red.

He sat on the bed and watched her have difficulty.

He remembers the time Sakura was choking and was having difficulty in the sand that was wrapped around her body, an assault from Gaara when she protected Sasuke when he was vulnerable.

She managed to be okay and wiped blood off her face with her handkerchief. She then placed the handkerchief on the bloodstains on the floor; she didn't want Kashime questioning her about a crimson stain on the floor.

After a while…

Sasuke was now laid on the bed, with the blanket over his body, all his wounds have been cleaned and bandaged by her, and now she was cleaning the wounds on his face. She was seating right beside him, not on a chair but definitely beside him.

He was looking into her 'purple' eyes.

"Please stop staring at me, it makes me feel uncomfortable." She said while wiping his face with a damp hand towel, wiping off the dirt on his face and cleaning his wounds.

"Your facial features match hers…" he whispered.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing…"

She placed the cloth in the basin beside the bed and got a cotton bud and the disinfectant. She dipped the cotton bud in the disinfectant bottle and gently dabbed the medication on his wound.

Sasuke reached out and rubbed his thumb against the corner of her lips, noticing the bloodstain and now, removing it.

Ayumi blushed at this, that she stopped applying the medication, looking at him with shock.

He withdrew his hand and looked away, "T-there was something on the corner of your lips… I just wiped it away. It was a bloodstain…"

"T-thank you." Ayumi smiled but still, she can't believe what he just did.

She now placed small plasters on his wounds.

"I noticed that your wounds from yesterday are gone. You have remarkable healing speed and capacity. Your cells do regenerate faster and to tell you the truth, the faster the cell regeneration is, the shorter life you get. You'll age pretty fast…" Ayumi pointed out, collecting all the trash.

"I don't have any special ability in healing."

"Hmm?" Ayumi blinked, "Well, if not, then how do your wounds heal that fast?"

"Can't you see these marks on my body?" Sasuke said.

Obviously, the curse wasn't controlling him anymore, so he was in full control of what he was saying and what he was doing.

"What about them? They're pretty tattoos." She smiled.

"They're not."

"What?" she blinked again.

"These are marks of a curse – a curse that gives me more power. It is also the curse that cures my wounds."

"Then it's not really that much of a curse now is it?" Ayumi smiled sweetly, "It's a gift in some way."

He was just confused. Why was she smiling consequently?

"I tried to kill you a while ago, didn't I?" he looked at her, "Why did you still mend my wounds? How can you still manage to smile like that to someone as evil as I am?"

She giggled. It was still a wonder to him who she really was. She said she wasn't a medic but she treats wounds like pro. Her giggle was musical to his ears… similar to that of Haruno Sakura. But she said she was Mikiyo Ayumi. Who was she, really?

"It sounds funny but I don't know why… whenever I see you, it seems like I've known you for a long time and whatever fault you made to me was definitely nothing and I forgave you right away. Even when you tried to kill me a while ago, I thought it was really nothing… that it was already in your nature." She briefly said, "You don't seem to be a very evil person to me, really. For me, I think you're someone special… That you're someone who is evil in nature but is really kind when tamed. I mean, you're like any other men!"

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked.

"You're someone who gets hurt, who smiles, who laughs, who cries, who gets saddened when someone close to you is hurt. I also think you're someone who fell in love… You must be caring and loving because you've been telling me I look like someone… maybe my look-alike is the person you love…" she clarified.

"You're correct. The one who looks like you is the one I truly loved…" he spoke in a somewhat lonely tone, "I was supposed to get married to her in a few months' time but… I became like this after she broke up with me and my curse controlled me… I have been taking orders from the curse and began pursuing her, trying to kill her."

"But why would you kill your fiancée?" she asked, getting interested in his love story.

"I really didn't want to kill her. She meant a lot to me. The problem was she was the one who cancelled our wedding. She called it quits and gave up our relationship. She was a medic, a sweet lady, and she was also supposed to be the successor of the country leader where I came from… She was a teammate of mine when I was a genin. Even then, she showed affection to me. But… I never returned her smile, her kindness… I just proposed to her without any reason. Perhaps because I wanted to have children badly back then…"

"So your curse was trying to tell you to kill her because she didn't want to be the mother of your children?" she questioned.

Little did she know, she was the same person he was referring to, and little did he know that she doesn't know that she **is** Haruno Sakura… only, she doesn't know it either.

"I'm not really sure. But I think there's more to that… It's my fault why she gave up our relationship anyway. I didn't become a sore loser when she broke up with me… I considered her excuse… and else, she wasn't ready…" Sasuke recalled, "And one major reason is that because she thought I didn't love her."

"But did you try to tell that you love her? Or show it to her?" Ayumi asked.

Sasuke just blinked at her question.

_TBC…_


	19. Remembering

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**WHY OH WHY! I'm sorry if another update would be taking too much time after this update. My right knee is injured due to a sprain so I was advised to stay put in bed. So anyway, this is my update FOR THE MEANWHILE. I'm sorry for the inconvenience…**

**SNIFF! For now, I wouldn't be replying to any reviews because my Dad is asking me right now to return to bed (ah, the pain on the knee!). If I get well soon (please pray for it! If I don't then… I can't be able to write Chapter 24, which is my objective right now!), I would be replying to the reviews. Again, I'm really sorry.**

**FOLLOW UP! Did you already grab a copy of _Akatsuki no Kuruma_? This song would help a lot to your understanding about Chapter 24. Grab one now!**

**REQUEST: Please pray for my speedy recovery from my right knee's sprain!**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"I'm not really sure. But I think there's more to that… It's my fault why she gave up our relationship anyway. I didn't become a sore loser when she broke up with me… I considered her excuse… and else, she wasn't ready…" Sasuke recalled, "And one major reason is that because she thought I didn't love her."

"But did you try to tell that you love her? Or show it to her?" Ayumi asked.

Sasuke just blinked at her question.

**(Chapter 19 – Remembering)**

"I… I didn't. I was afraid…" he looked away from her glare, "I'm not a person who likes to show a lot of affection."

"Oh, so that's why." She nodded, understanding his story, "I mean, if I was your fiancée and if you would do that to me, hell, I'll break up with you! But… what was there to be afraid of? You know that she loves you so much!"

"You know… you ask quite a lot of questions. You're irritating me." Sasuke told her.

"Well, EXCUSE ME for being so mischievous!" Ayumi rolled her eyes.

Sasuke noticed that small plaster she has on her forehead, "And where did you get that wound on your head?"

"Oh this?" she looked up, "I got this from a silly accident. It's really healing fast!"

"Clumsy."

"You know… for a cold person, you're really getting into my nerves." She said, slapping back the words he said to her earlier, "You're annoying me!"

"A little payback?" he made a small smirk to her, knowing what she was trying to do.

"Ack! Talking to you makes me late for work!" Ayumi replied, standing up and getting the materials she used, cleaning them and placing them back to their cupboards.

She came back to the room and told him, "Remove all your clothes, I'll wash them."

"Give me a reasonable excuse." He demanded.

"They're dirty." She replied.

"That's it?"

"And the dirt will infect your wounds." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"So get out of the room. I'm going to remove them." He rolled his eyes, carefully standing up.

She stomped her way out of the room and thought, "_How could he be so irritating! Argh! Who does he think he is? A V.I.P.? He could've just asked me to get out of the room more politely!"_

"There. You can come in now." She heard.

Ayumi found him in bed, with the blanket covering his body. His weapon packs are placed on the bedside table and his clothes were on the floor. She picked them up and placed them in the washing machine. While the device was doing its thing, she went to the kitchen to fix him some food. Then, she placed the tray on his bedside table.

"Here's your food. If you're done, just leave them there. I'll be taking a bath. And I'll clean up afterwards. There's food in the kitchen, eat anything you like. I'll be going to work later on." She notified him.

He just nodded and she exited the room.

After 1 hour…

"I'll get going now. Eat some food and get enough sleep. Your body needs a lot of rest." Ayumi informed him, "Your clothes are hanging dry in the washroom. You can get them after an hour, when they're really dry. It's in the room near the kitchen. Oh, and please watch over the house. I'm sure you know that."

"Yes." He replied.

And there, she left.

Ayumi loved her work. Nursing toddlers was fun for her; yet, she can't help but think of Sasuke.

"_Why am I thinking of him?"_ Ayumi asked herself. It has been a hectic day, but it was fun.

"_It's not like he's something to me."_ She sighed as she got the keys to the house and with the 'click' of the doorknob, she entered the house.

"Sasuke?" she called, "Are you still here?"

"Right here." He replied, the voice coming from his room.

"Have you eaten dinner?"

"Yes."

Ayumi placed her bag and her denim jacket in her room first, before going into his room.

She noticed that he was already dressed in his clothes and was sitting on the windowsill.

"You're supposed to be in bed!" she anxiously told him, "And what if the Anbus see you!"

"You worry about me too much." He told her.

"Well, for your information!" her veins popping out of her temple, and her hands on her hips, "If you get caught, I'll also be imprisoned!"

"I'll make sure they'll never do that to you." Sasuke smirked, "If I let you get caught like that, it's not a pleasant thing of showing gratitude after nursing me."

Ayumi rubbed her eyes and he noticed.

"You know, you're destroying the corneas of your eyes. You don't want to get blind, do you?" he told her.

"It's just that… I'm still not used to these lenses."

"Lenses?" he repeated, "You have an eye problem?"

"Doctors say so. But even if I remove my lenses, everything's still clear. I think I have perfect vision. Maybe it's just a thing that happened after my accident and now I think it's gone."

"So why don't you remove them?"

"As a matter of fact, I will!" she told him as she went in the room's bathroom and carefully took out the purple lenses. She placed them in an empty glass container in the cupboard.

Sasuke watched her do this as she washed her face. When she was done, she wiped her face with a towel in the bathroom. When she faced him…

"You have green eyes…" he said in awe.

She raised an eyebrow, "And so?"

"Are you really Ayumi or… someone else?" he asked.

"_Sakura…"_ he thought, _"Are you Sakura?"_

"Are you terribly sick? I already told you! I'm Mikiyo Ayumi! How could I be someone else?"

They didn't notice the droplets of water falling from the ceiling – it was already making a puddle on the floor. But it wasn't raining! It was a perfectly starry night!

Sasuke yawned and went back to bed. Ayumi closes the windows and covers them with the curtains and noticed that Sasuke's wounds were gone.

"Your wounds-"

"They're healed." He snapped.

Then, the puddle of water began to raise take shape. It soon had flesh and it before Ayumi knew it; it was her cousin, Haruno Kashime.

Kashime hurled her kunai on Sasuke but he evaded it, dropping to the floor. Kashime pinned Ayumi onto the wall. Her eyes filled with rage.

"How could you allow a serial killer in my house!" Kashime harangued, "HE WAS THE ONE WHO WAS TRYING TO KILL YOU, EVEN BACK IN KONOHA! SAKURA, WAKE UP!"

Ayumi's mind began flashing memories when Kashime just said that name out loud… Sasuke's eyes narrowed and looked at the woman he knew was 'Ayumi'.

"You're Sakura…? Haruno… Sakura…?" he unconsciously said.

_TBC…_


	20. Dear Lie

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**BONUS: This chapter is a little longer!**

**_GOOD NEWS!_ My knee is still in healing period but I can really walk with little difficulties now! Isn't that very cool? And! An update! AND! There's more! CHAPTER 24 (_Akatsuki no Kuruma_) IS FINISHED! So, there's no more dilemma whatsoever! **

… **I hope.**

**Anyway… I'll be replying to signed reviews that will be registered into this fic starting from this point forward. For the previous reviews, I'm very sorry if I can't reply. But the reviews from this point forward… I'll try my best to give a reply.**

**Always hope for the best!**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**Note:**

"_Never."_ Is a person's thoughts.

"_You should."_ Is Orochimaru's voice inside Sasuke.

_I let you unnerve me_. Is song lyrics.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

Kashime hurled her kunai on Sasuke but he evaded it, dropping to the floor. Kashime pinned Ayumi onto the wall. Her eyes filled with rage.

"How could you allow a serial killer in my house!" Kashime harangued, "HE WAS THE ONE WHO WAS TRYING TO KILL YOU, EVEN BACK IN KONOHA! SAKURA, WAKE UP!"

Ayumi's mind began flashing memories when Kashime just said that name out loud… Sasuke's eyes narrowed and looked at the woman he knew was 'Ayumi'.

"You're Sakura…? Haruno… Sakura…?" he unconsciously said.

**(Chapter 20 – Dear Lie)**

"S-Sakura?" Ayumi whimpered as she held her head and dropped to her knees, "Is that my real name?"

"Oh, snap!" Kashime cursed.

"Kashime, what's my real name? Is it not Mikiyo Ayumi? Have you been lying to me? Ever since I lost my memory from the accident, have you told me false information about myself?" Ayumi asked, "Answer me!"

"_She lost her memory in an accident? No doubt… She is Sakura!"_ Sasuke thought.

"_Kill her, Sasuke-kun. KILL SAKURA."_ Orochimaru hissed inside Sasuke.

And the curse seal began to burn with black and orange-red flames. He was under Orochimaru's control… again.

"_If you kill the soon successor of Tsunade, she will be totally out of her mind. Of course, you know how much Tsunade loves her dearest successor… Haruno Sakura… If she dies, I promise that you will take over the Hidden Sound while I take over Konoha!"_ the voice hissed, _"And else… didn't Sakura disagree to your plans?"_

"_She doesn't want to marry me, so get over it! I'll never kill her just because she broke our engagement! If you want her to die, do it yourself!"_ Sasuke's conscience fought back, _"I respect Sakura's decision. It's my fault why she didn't want to marry me anymore! So get out of my life, Orochimaru!"_

"_Are you… Fighting back!"_ Orochimaru yelled, _"That's it!"_

Then, the curse was just totally getting much more painful to Sasuke. Then, Orochimaru controlled his thoughts and actions.

Kashime placed her hands on Ayumi's shoulders and said, "I'm sorry. But I did that to protect you!"

"HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME!" Ayumi screamed.

Sasuke got a kunai and lunged at Kashime but amazingly it was Ayumi who blocked the attack – with her own hands, she got hold of the blade of the kunai, "Kashime, tell me the truth or I'll let him kill me!"

"_She's wanting to be killed. Then… KILL HER!"_ Orochimaru commanded, and Sasuke's attack got more strength, pushing the blade deeper in Ayumi's palms.

It was that memory again… Sakura went in front of Sasuke and blocked the attack of Gaara. She was hurt and he couldn't do anything because of the curse.

The curse…

The curse!

Sasuke decides to take his willpower against his curse because the sight of a problematic Sakura in front of him was something he could not stand.

"_Just this once!"_ Sasuke closed his eyes, _"Just this once, let me win over my curse!"_

Then, it finally happened – he was in control of his body. While he was in control, he withdrew from the assault and escaped through the window, shattering the glass into many pieces and ran away.

"Kashime you liar." Sakura scowled at Kashime before she fainted.

Kashime was just hurt by that comment.

_Dear lie, you suck __  
__you said you could fix anything __  
__Instead I'm fucked __  
__you made things even worse for me_

In the hospital…

The doctors looked after Sakura. They told Kashime that Sakura is recovering quickly from amnesia because she said her real name… And an instant recovery of amnesia was… well, very bad, let's put it that way.

"Well doc?" Kashime looked up at the doctor who got out from the Emergency Room, "Is she okay?"

"Her hands are stitched. Even medical nins can't close the deep wound... Just like that guy we received in the E.R. with the same dilemma. They did a layered stitching and applied medical jutsu to help the wound close. And about her amnesia…" the doctor closed his eyes, "She's going to resent you for that."

If only Kashime had her mouth shut…

_If I had balls I'd tell you get away from me __  
__Guess I'm not smart __  
__I let you unnerve me __  
__I let you control me __  
__Afraid the truth would hurt me __  
__When it's you that hurts me more_

The doctor left and she still sat there, dumbfounded. She didn't know what to do. When the nurses transferred Sakura in a proper room, all Kashime could do was to stare at the unconscious Sakura on a wheeled bed, getting out of the Emergency Room.

"Ma'am, are you okay?" a nurse asked Kashime who was staring at the floor blankly. It was closing time for visitors and she was the only one left in the empty visitor's hall.

Kashime snapped out of it and said, "Yes, I'm okay. Uhm, where's that girl's room? The one with pink hair? Where's her room?"

The nurse checked her clipboard and replied, "Room 14D3, Mikiyo Ayumi, right?"

Kashime thought, _"Is it a 'yes' or a 'no'? Should I tell her that she is Haruno Sakura?"_

_Get out of my mouth __  
__Get out of my head __  
__Get out of my mind __  
__Stop puttin' words in my head __  
__Get out of my mouth __  
__You're nothing but trouble __  
__Get out of my life __  
__Get out of me __  
__Out of me (out of me) __  
__Out of me __  
__Out of me lie __  
__Lie lie lie lie …_

_Lie lie…__  
_

"Even so, you can't stay here, Ma'am. Visiting time is over… Unless you want to file an overnight visitor's stay at the receiving desk and go to the room of Miss Mikiyo-"

"She's Haruno Sakura. That's her real name…" Kashime finally spoke, "I changed her name to Mikiyo Ayumi but her real name is Haruno Sakura."

"Oh, I see." The nurse wrote it down on her clipboard, "I'll just update her files on the receiving desk. Anyway, are you staying overnight?"

Kashime thought for a while. Her own cousin just called her a liar… but right now, she is terribly troubled… a killer is after her and she's having a hard time because of the sudden return of her memories.

"_Really… after the grave sin I have just committed? I have absolutely no rights to stay at her side…"_ a sad look etched Kashime's face, _"Even if I helped her recover physically after that tragedy… Never again will she trust me."_

"Ma'am? Are you staying?" the nurse asked gently, trying to elongate her patience on this woman.

The nurse understood that this person might have a terrible problem, but most certainly, Kashime was wasting the nurse's time.

_Dear lie __  
__you're dumb __  
__you think you've got the best of me __  
__you think you won __  
__misread my vulnerability __  
_

Kashime thought,_ "I should try considering… Why not face Sakura, slap her with the reality? I'm only trying to make myself more of a liar to her if I don't stay beside her."_

The nurse looked at her watch and then at her clipboard, _"Lots more to do. Please give me an answer, Ma'am!"_ the nurse sweatdropped.

"I've decided." Kashime stood up, "I'll stay."

_I've got your walls __  
__Now get the hell away from me __  
__I've learned your art __  
__Won't let you unnerve me __  
__Won't let you control me __  
__The truth will only free me __  
__And your lies won't hurt no... __  
__No more..._

Kashime signed the files to stay overnight in Sakura's room.

"_I need to face the truth… I'll swallow my pride and I'll liberate Reality to embrace her… She'll know what was going on one way or another."_ Kashime told herself as she slowly climbed the stairs.

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

"Kashime-chan!" a little girl tugged 10-year-old Kashime's khaki pants.

Kashime looked at the little girl who made that squeal and saw a pink-haired child – with an incredibly big forehead. It was her 6-year-old cousin, Sakura.

Kashime was already a genin, Sakura was still in the process of being one. Kashime had her forehead protector on her belt, not wanting to wear it because she was in Konoha and is shy to show the people that she is from the Mist. Why would she wear that forehead protector when she's in Konoha? The Hidden Mist is nothing compared to Konoha when it comes to ninjas.

Kashime's father paid a visit to his brother, who is Sakura's father. He happened to tag along his daughter so that his brother's daughter would have someone to play with.

"What?" Kashime asked.

They were on top of a grassy hill located in the rolling grassland somewhere in Konoha, just behind the Genin Academy. Sakura sat down and hugged her knees, "Have you been teased by your classmates about having a round face?"

Kashime chuckled, "Yeah, they try to. Then, after their bombardment of words, I go barrage them with my own harsh prejudice towards them."

Sakura eyed her cousin who was now sitting next to her.

"…But it's not a right thing to do." The older girl continued as she looked at the blue skies, "We should not judge anyone on how they look like. We should never judge anyone… at all."

_Get out of my mouth __  
__Get out of my head __  
__Get out of my mind __  
__Stop puttin' words in my head __  
__Get out of my mouth __  
__You're nothing but trouble __  
__Get out of my life __  
__Get out of me __  
__Out of me (out of me) __  
__Out of me __  
__Out of me lie __  
__Lie lie lie lie …_

_Lie lie…__  
_

"My classmates always tease me because of my huge forehead. They call me 'forehead girl' and I don't like it!" Sakura sobbed, "It's always Ino who defends me! And then… And then… I had this crush on this boy named Sasuke and Ino likes him, too! And now… We're not friends anymore!"

Kashime stared at her cousin who was crying, "I experienced that, too. But I'm more defensive and aggressive. You see… It's not right to fight with your best friend about this boy. Sakura-chan, you're still young and you don't know a thing about love... Neither do I."

"But you're the best of the best in the batch of genins who graduated in the Mist four years ago! How do you still not know anything?"

It was true. Kashime may only be 10 years old be she thinks around 5 steps ahead or more and aside from that, she thinks maturely and strongly. And this year, she was going to take the Chuunin Exams back in the Mist.

Kashime placed a hand on Sakura's head and messed up her hair, "I may be smart but I still need to learn things as I grow older. You'll understand what I mean someday. But right now, I want you to ignore all those bad comments that your classmates give you. Believe me, one day, you'll recall those comments and just laugh at them. You may cry at them now, but you should fight all those prejudices those people give you. I believe… one day, you'll be like me. Even become better than me."

Sakura smiled, "I believe you, Kashime-chan!"

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

_I've got __  
__your walls __  
n__ow get the hell away from me __  
_

Kashime sat beside Sakura now. The room was dark and Kashime just started crying, _"Look at us now. Your forehead is not that big anymore, and my face is not round. Like what I said, you'll understand when we grow older… And that Sasuke became yours at least for the moment. But what I misunderstood was he was trying to use you not for love but for his sake… It's also your misunderstanding… and that misunderstanding led you to this state."_

_I learned your art __  
__Won't let you unnerve me __  
__Won't let you control me __  
__The truth will only free me __  
__And your lies won't hurt no… __  
__No more… _

Kashime wiped her tears away, but they just keep coming. She thought, _"Like what I said… you'll be just like me. And we are – we are both students of country leaders. You were the student of the Hokage and I was the student of the Mizukage… It just hurts for me to realize… you said you believed me but now you called me a liar. It's for your protection!"_

_Get out of my mouth __  
__Get out of my head __  
__Get out of my mind __  
__Stop puttin' words in my head __  
__Get out of my mouth __  
__You're nothing but trouble __  
__Get out of my life __  
__Get out of me __  
__Out of me (out of me) __  
__Out of me __  
__Out of me lie __  
__Lie lie lie lie …_

_Lie lie…__  
_

Kashime can still hear her cousin's harsh comment, _"Kashime, you liar."_

"_Kashime, you liar."_

"_Kashime, you liar."_

"_Kashime, you liar."_

Kashime covered her ears and wouldn't like to hear it anymore. But it kept coming, haunting her.

"_HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME!"_

"_HOW COULD YOU LIE TO ME!" _

"I lied to you because I don't want you killed!" Kashime whispered loudly, "It hurts for me to imagine you're dead! What will the Hokage do? Declare war against the Mist for not taking good care of you? This is not only for your protection, but for the Mist!"

_Dear lie __  
__Lie Lie Lie Lie… __  
__Lie Lie… __  
_

Then, Kashime felt a hand on her right hand. Sakura was awake and she heard her said that.

"Just tell me who I really am. I just want to know the truth." Sakura said.

_Dear lie…_

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

_TBC…_


	21. Devotion

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_GOOD NEWS!_ I already finished writing Chapter 24! And there's been one hell of a boost in writing the chapters… because right now I'm currently writing Chapter 31! So, expect that the updates would be slightly faster now. AND! I've completed my first week of recovery from my knee injury! I can walk now with the aid of a knee support and when climbing stairs, I'm aided by a walking stick. So, I'll only need to do the self therapies to aid the knee to a full recovery in another 5 weeks. Yay, me! I just want to say thank you for those who wished for my quick recovery, and for that, I'll express my gratitude by posting a special acknowledgement for them in the next chapter. Okay, here we go!**

**WARNING! This chapter also contains NejiTen moments…**

**… And this is one hell of a cheesy chapter!**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(Chapter 21 – Devotion)**

Kashime wiped her tears away and said, "You're Haruno Sakura, a jounin and a medic from the Land of Fire, from the Hidden Leaf-"

"I'm from Konoha? I'm from a powerful village? I'm a… I'm a jounin?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. And you're destined to be the successor of Godaime Hokage, the legendary Sanin and medic, Tsunade." Kashime continued, "You were also the student of Copy Ninja, Hatake Kakashi. Your teammates were Uzumaki Naruto, the student of legendary Sanin, Jiraiya and Uchiha Sasuke… the sole survivor of the Uchiha massacre."

"S-Sasuke? I know Sasuke from a long time?"

"Not only that you know him, you liked him ever since you were a genin. He proposed marriage to you a year ago. But then, you broke up with him before you got here to live with me." Kashime smiled, "I can remember that phone call you made last year, you were telling me how excited you were when Sasuke proposed to you. And well… Right now, Sasuke is just being berserk. He's out there to kill you. I'm not really sure why, though."

"I… I refused to marry him because… he doesn't love me…" Sakura held her head, "I remember at least some of my memories…"

Kashime told her, "I'm happy for you. But… since he's out there haunting for you, killing more and more Anbus… we have to take him down the wire… Never mind, I'll just explain it to you once you get out of here… Later, after sunrise."

In another room in the hospital…

"Neji." A voice called.

Neji was standing near the window, watching the sunrise in the horizon. He replied, "Yes, Tenten?"

Tenten sat up and stared at his back, "Is my condition slowing down our mission? I know how you hate it when we don't get to accomplish a mission in a short time."

Neji was silenced by that. It was true, it was intimidating him whenever they have to put their mission aside and worry about their conditions first.

"I'm sorry, Neji. I should've followed your word back then… When Hokage summoned you in her office to tell you about this mission… and asked me if you could go… I was just so stubborn and I said you could go if I could go, too. Do you remember, Neji? You said you don't want me to go… But I really want to be with you always."

"Even if marriage bound us for eternity, there's still an exception of being with me. Sure, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, I need you to be at my side." Neji said, his eyebrows furrowing. Anger was building inside of him.

Tenten knew what was coming next; he would tell her that he would rather be alone in this mission. Not wanting to show her weakness, she held back her tears. She always knew that Neji liked her for not being like other girls. She was so strong that she did not even cry no matter how badly injured she was… But that time when her husband cried on her shoulder was another thing.

But either way, that event made her cry; therefore she considered it showing her weakness, even if he shed his tears, too. This time, it was her emotions versus her pride. She even clenched her fists under her blanket just to make sure no tears were coming out.

A shadow fell upon her; Tenten knew Neji was now standing beside her. Oh boy, she braced herself for his sharp scolding.

"Tenten!" he raised his voice.

"_This is it! Get ready, Tenten!"_ she thought. Hell, she can't even look at him.

Damn it, who would even try to look eye to eye with an angry Hyuga Neji? Not even his wife can do it! **_(A/N: Even if I was a character in NARUTO, hell, I wouldn't even dare look at him in the eye if he was angry! Would you?)_**

"How could you even say that! I can't believe those words came out of your mouth!" the Hyuga prodigy said, "Tenten, I most definitely need you in this mission! Do you think if you were not here, I would be able to realize that I'm already face to face with Death when I fought that Uchiha?"

Tenten blinked and looked at him.

He smiled, "Heh, I knew you're still afraid of me! I bet you thought I would tell you that I'd rather be alone in this mission, huh? Well, the only exception of us being side by side is in the bathroom!"

Tenten smiled and slapped his face, "Idiot!"

Neji can avoid her slap but chose not to. He knows she was just playing around. He chuckled, "What? Isn't it true? Would you even sneak in a bathroom if a man is bathing? I guess I'm right, huh?"

"Damn it, Neji! You got me nervous!"

He laughed.

What? Hyuga Neji laughed?

Well, to Hyuga Tenten, it wasn't any mystery anymore. She always heard him laugh more often when she's with him. It was music to her ears.

"Hey! I should try to sneak in the bathroom if you're in it! Hell, what is wrong with that! I can do that, **because I AM your wife**!" Tenten placed her hands on her hips and pouted.

"Want to try?" Neji whispered in her ear.

His breath against her ears sent a million chills in her spine. She blushed at what he said.

She looked away and puffed, "Humph!"

Neji already noticed his wife blush, before she can hide it away from him. He chuckled and raised his eyebrow, "Why are you blushing, my dearest wife?"

"Humph!" she blushed more, knowing that even if she hid her face, he still noticed.

"Maybe you could try sneaking in the bathroom when I'm in it some other time." He smirked.

Tenten threw her pillow at him and he caught it with his hand and laughed again, "What is it this time?"

She just laughed; she was happy that he always made her laugh even in difficult times.

Neji placed the pillow properly back to her bed and said, "You should get some rest, Tenten. The nurse said you will be released tomorrow."

"Darn, I must be the luckiest woman in the world!" Tenten spoke as she fell back on the bed, bubbly.

"And why is that?" Neji asked, holding the right hand of Tenten and kissed her fingers.

"That's because my husband is Hyuga Neji and he is the sweetest man I ever met! Not to mention, he's one of the best ninjas in Konoha!" she flattered him.

He slightly blushed and looked away, gently placing back his wife's hand on the bed. He approached the door and as he placed his hand on the doorknob…

"And why are you blushing, my dearest husband?" Tenten teased.

Neji smiled and told her, "That's because I'm glad my wife appreciates me in every way that I am."

She blushed and grinned, "Hell, why wouldn't she? She's so darn lucky!"

"And I'm also so darn lucky that I get to be the husband of the Weapons Mistress of Konoha." Neji opened the door and winked at his wife, "I'll just go out and get some food for us. I bet **Hyuga Tenten** is hungry!"

She giggled, "You bet I am!"

_TBC…_


	22. Oppressions

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(Chapter 22 – Oppressions)**

Kashime entered the premises of the Mist Anbu Headquarters. She was a former Anbu… an elite Anbu captain, that's why when she passes by the halls and corridors of this building, every Anbu bows at her. She nods once as a sign of recognition to those who bow to her in respect.

She left Sakura in the hospital, in order to get some sleep.

Kashime flung open a door and a female Mist Anbu with a mask of a ram eyed her.

"Kashime-san?" the Anbu asked.

"Greetings, Nishu." Kashime smiled as she sat on a couch in that office, "I really did not expect you'll be taking my place."

"No one can ever take the place of great elite Anbu captain Haruno Kashime. You contributed a lot to this organization, enabling us to enhance our power and the determination to protect Mizugakure-"

"Enough, Nishu, flattering gets us to nowhere." Kashime sighed.

"So what brings you here, Kashime-san?"

"Hmm… This office changed a lot ever since I got retired from being an Anbu." Kashime recalled, "That's been 5 years ago… Time truly flies…"

Nishu eyed Kashime, "You haven't answered my question yet."

Kashime smiled, "You know the only purpose I come to you, Nishu. Don't tell me you forgot those times of when I was still here. I was elite Anbu captain and you were elite Anbu in-training. Now, do you know why I am here right now?"

Nishu sighed, "Kashime-san, Mizukage-sama already taught you how to be a spy, Mist-style. You can turn into water anytime you want, not even requiring hand seals, just willpower. "

Kashime smirked and disappeared, leaving behind a puddle of water, now being absorbed by the couch.

"There's no need to show it off, Kashime-san." Nishu sarcastically said, "Sure, I can never learn that."

Then, the water particles from the couch rose and soon had flesh. Kashime was back to her human form. She eyed a picture on the bulletin board on the wall in front of the couch, around 5 meters away.

She hurled a shuriken onto the picture in a split second and she said, "In hot pursuit of that guy, huh?"

"That guy on the bulletin board?" Nishu looked at Kashime, "Yes, and he just killed elite Anbus a few days ago, when we found him and pursued him."

"I know him."

"Are you serious?"

"'Course I am." Kashime shrugged her shoulders and smirked, "Marks of a curse all over his body, raven-haired, almost 6 feet tall, fair-skinned, with eyes of onyx and of red when he desired it to be red… I know him."

"You still have that observant eye of yours." Nishu smirked under her mask, "Do you know the details of this man?"

"Uchiha Sasuke is his name."

"Uchiha?" Nishu said, shocked, "You mean he's from-"

"Konoha." Kashime interrupted, "Need I say less, he was the teammate of my cousin, whom was the survivor from that bus explosion tragedy. I think… he was the one who blew up the bus. He was trying to kill my cousin. But since he's a freak, he just killed all the people in that darned bus and it was so unfortunate of him that Sakura survived. But now, I can't assure of my cousin's safety."

"So you're saying?"

"I want you to follow this guy and tell me where he hides. Don't kill him, don't make him notice you; don't even lay a finger on him. Just keep an eye on him." Kashime firmly told her, "This thing needs to have an end. If he wants a fight, then I'll bring him a fight. If he wants to kill, then I'll bring a prey that could possibly kill him. Extreme measures are needed to end him… Even if it means gambling the life of my cousin."

"What are you trying to do? Kashime-san, your cousin is from Konoha! And from what I heard from the Mizukage, she is the student of Godaime Hokage! If we harm her, there might be a possibility of a declaration of war between the Mist and the Leaf! Are you insane? Do you know how strong Konoha is? If you're a jounin there, you're good enough to be an Anbu here! That's how strong they are!"

"That's why I'm going to train my cousin. Teach her jutsus of the Mist, even the most forbidden ones I know. That guy is from a strong clan, famous for their eyes named Sharingan, which can copy any technique once activated. This clan is also famous for their Katon Jutsus. Water can exhaust Fire… so that's what I'm gonna do." Kashime told her with determination, "I'm sure Sakura is not the student of the Hokage for nothing. I bet she even became stronger under the tutelage of the Hokage."

Nishu sighed, "Kashime-san, are you sure of your decision? What if your plans won't work?"

"I can always find my way around." Kashime assured, "That's why I'm going to do my best. Like what I said, a fight he wants, a fight… he'll surely get."

Nishu was silenced and thought about her actions.

"Alright then, Kashime-san." Nishu stood up and faced the window, her eyes falling upon the forest of the Mist, "I'll comply with your wish. I'll determine where this Uchiha Sasuke is. Now that I think about it, he has caused enough havoc to this town… Just make sure your cousin would… no, **will** exterminate him."

"Don't worry, Nishu." Kashime concluded, opening the door, "I'll make sure she'll be able to kill him."

"Don't be so sure, Kashime-san." Nishu suddenly appeared in front of Kashime, "We don't know what he **can** do."

18 minutes later… In the hospital…

"Out papers for Haruno Sakura, please." Kashime told the nurse on the receiving desk.

"Yes Ma'am, she's ready to be released. What is your relation to her, Ma'am?" the nurse politely asked as she scanned the file cabinet.

"First degree cousin."

"Here you go, Ma'am." The nurse smiled as she gave the papers to be signed to Kashime, "Just read the first page and sign the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 10th blank on the second page."

"That's 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th?" Kashime asked.

"Oh, that's 2nd, 3rd, 5th, **6th** and **10th**, Ma'am." The nurse repeated, "Shall we dress up Miss Haruno now?"

"Yes, you shall." Kashime nodded.

8 minutes later…

"Kashime, where are you taking me?" Sakura asked as Kashime dragged her into a forest.

"I'll train you how to fight." Kashime said, "Okay, so you already know how to fight-"

"No, no, I don't know how to fight."

"Then I'll make you remember!" Kashime rolled her eyes as she continued dragging Sakura.

"But whom will I fight? What for?"

"Uchiha Sasuke. You have to kill him before he does kill you. I'm sure the Hokage and the Mizukage wanted the same thing." Kashime told her with anger in her voice, "He's being an intense pain in the ass for you, for me, for the Mizukage, perhaps for the Hokage and Konoha, surely for the Anbus and most definitely for the citizens of the Mist!"

Kashime stopped and let go of her hand, "I'll teach you new jutsus-"

"I don't want to fight!"

"Sakura, it's your duty as student of the Hokage! You've got to hunt down a criminal and exterminate him!"

"But I loved him before!" Sakura fought back, "And I still feel like I still love him until now!"

"He's after you; you have to learn to fight back!" Kashime spoke, intimidated enough.

"I don't want to fight him!" Sakura replied, crying, "I may not know him but there's something in his eyes that tell me I can't fight him."

"Why can't you take in mind that he's here to kill you?" Kashime scolded, "He killed a handful of elite Mist Anbus! Can't you take that as a warning!"

"But-"

SLAP.

Kashime had just slapped Sakura across the face and told her, "This **is** reality. He **can** and he **will** kill **YOU**."

_TBC…_


	23. Intensity

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_NEWSFLASH!_** **Yahoo! Christmas break! Well, now that I finally have time to continue my fanfic, here are some updates…**

**1. I'm currently writing Chapter 33, and trust me, Chapter 31-33 has some KashimeOC romance. You will see that even if Kashime was so evil, you will see her similarities and differences with Sakura.**

**2. The next chapter will be the Sasuke VS Sakura chapter! And trust me, it's a long chapter!**

**3. My knee is feeling a bit better everyday. Thanks to those who wished good luck!**

**4. Please check at my profile to see who are enlisted in my eternal regards list. Just click my pen name and you're ready to see who made it in the list!**

**Moving on…**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"I don't want to fight him!" Sakura replied, crying, "I may not know him but there's something in his eyes that tell me I can't fight him."

"Why can't you take in mind that he's here to kill you?" Kashime scolded, "He killed a handful of elite Mist Anbus! Can't you take that as a warning!"

"But-"

SLAP.

Kashime had just slapped Sakura across the face and told her, "This **is** reality. He **can** and he **will** kill **YOU**."

**(Chapter 23 – Intensity)**

"Fine then." Sakura said, "If this is what I am destined for, then so be it."

"That's what I really want to hear!" Kashime smiled and tossed a kunai and shuriken pack to Sakura.

Sakura caught the items and strapped them on.

"Okay then, I'll attack you first!" Kashime said, grabbing a kunai and lunging at Sakura.

Meanwhile…

Nishu leapt from tree to tree in the forest, starting what Kashime had asked of her.

"_I've been looking for this man for almost an hour or so now. Where could he be hiding?"_ Nishu thought.

She stopped and squatted on a branch of a tree and found a cave not too far from that tree. Someone was in there – a bonfire was visible to Nishu's eyes.

She made some hand seals and she transformed into a branch of a tree, to see who it was.

And she wasn't mistaken – the one inside of that cave is none other than… Uchiha Sasuke.

"_There he is."_ Nishu thought, _"Now, I have to get out of here and inform Kashime-san immediately."_

But she wasn't able to transform back to her human form – Sasuke was eyeing that tree, no, that branch… he was eyeing **her**.

"_Shit, I think he just noticed."_ Nishu thought, trying her very best not to transform back to her human form.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows and threw a shuriken at that branch; he threw a shuriken to Nishu.

Technically, if that branch was human, it would bleed, and it surprised Sasuke when it didn't.

"It's just my imagination." Sasuke whispered, "I thought someone was spying on me."

When Sasuke looked away, Nishu transformed back to her human form and took off the shuriken that made a crack on her mask. She stealthily placed the shuriken on the trunk of the tree facing the cave and leapt away.

While she was on her way exiting the forest, the crack on her mask progressed and broke it in half, revealing a face of a golden-eyed beauty.

"_Darn, that was so close! Good thing he hit my mask instead of my neck!"_ Nishu removed her hood and let her long, red hair flow in the wind, _"Better look like a civilian than an Anbu when I enter the headquarters."_

Back to Kashime and Sakura…

"_Goodness gracious! Is she trying to kill me with that?"_ Kashime thought as she avoided every kick and punch coming from Sakura.

Why wouldn't she?

Would you even dare get hit by your cousin who's now using medical jutsus with her punches and kicks?

"_Damn, I could get my ligaments cut by those! Well, that's how a medic nin fights…"_ Kashime said as she performed hand seals, "Suiton: Flowing Walls!"

The mist from the atmosphere surrounded Kashime and made walls of water around the area, making a labyrinth.

Sakura thought, _"I have to use more than medical jutsu now. Medic skills are nothing against the Mist jutsus."_

"You're too slow in thinking, Sakura." A voice from the walls of water said, "If I was Sasuke, I could have killed you already. He's a very dangerous man and is merciless. You should take less time in thinking."

"I know." Sakura said, "But… I still don't remember a lot from Tsunade-sama's teachings."

"Then use what you know." Kashime said who was within the walls of water, "I mean… there's no harm in trying. And if I was Sasuke, would I even care if you forgot those jutsus the Hokage taught you?"

"Alright then! I'll use an S-rank jutsu taught by Tsunade-sama!" Sakura made hand seals and made an intake of air, "Katon: Karyu Endan!"

A fire release jutsu originated by an ex-Hokage… Katon: Karyu Endan. Sakura opened her mouth wide and released a huge flame dragon and this passed through the walls of water. Before the flame dragon could even touch a wall, it would just collapse into a puddle of water and when the flame dragon has passed, the puddle comes back to being a wall.

"Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu." Kashime's voice said.

Then, a water dragon from one of the walls was released and extinguished the flame dragon.

"No matter if your Katon is S-rank, it's still defenseless to Suiton." Kashime explained, "Fire is weak to water. I am sure enough, Sasuke, being an Uchiha; he would use all types of Katon he knows. You should use Suiton or Hyoton instead."

"Doesn't matter, I know where you're at right now!" Sakura said and threw her kunai towards the water wall where the water dragon was summoned. But her kunai just passed through the wall, just like what would happen if you passed a knife through water.

Kashime laughed, "I shift places, from walls to walls, Sakura. Good try, though."

"_Damn, what is strong enough to defeat Suiton and Hyoton jutsus? I only know Katon and a little bit of Doton jutsus… Doton? Yes, that's it!"_ Sakura thought.

She made hand seals again and slapped her right hand down on the ground, "Doton: Yumi Noma!"

Then, the ground became swampy but the water walls are still floating above ground, not one of the walls disappearing.

"And what was that for?" Kashime mocked, "Sure, Suiton is weak against Doton but that technique you executed made no sense. Stop wasting your chakra."

"_She's a student of the current Mizukage! Of course, she's got to be wise!"_ Sakura thought, _"But I… I am the student of the current Hokage! I've got to be **wiser**!"_

"What happened to the praised genius who was student of Godaime Hokage? If she's destined to be the successor, she better get some grooves on. C'mon, Sakura, I'm getting bored."

Sakura bit her lower lip and thought harder, _"How would I defeat her? Hyoton and Suiton are both Mist jutsus but most definitely, Hyoton can also defeat Suiton… I remember Tsunade-sama teaching me a Hyoton move before but… I don't remember… DAMN AMNESIA!"_

"Is it my turn?" Kashime said, "Suiton: Suikodan no jutsu!"

Then, bullets from all the walls started attacking towards Sakura.

"This is the end of you, Sakura!" Kashime hissed.

Sakura just fell on her bum and closed her eyes.

_TBC…_


	24. Akatsuki no Kuruma

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_SUGGESTION:_** **I strongly suggest that you should play the track of _Akatsuki no Kuruma_ (if you have a copy) while reading this fanfiction. This is a song from Gundam Seed and is performed by Fiction Junction featuring Yuuka. Please do play this song as you read along, please, if you have a copy!**

**_DISCLAIMER:_ I do not own Naruto and I don't own the song _Akatsuki no Kuruma_.**

--- --- --- --- --- ---

_The wheels of destiny will turn forever… Constantly spinning until the thread has been cut… I will always remember… "Kuruma ha mawaru yo…"_

-_Releina Artemis (author, **Homebound**)_

--- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Is it my turn?" Kashime said, "Suiton: Suikodan no jutsu!"

Then, bullets from all the walls started attacking towards Sakura.

"This is the end of you, Sakura!" Kashime hissed.

Sakura just fell on her bum and closed her eyes.

**(Chapter 24 – _Akatsuki no Kuruma_)**

And once again, Sakura's reflexes just saved her, "Suiton: Sujinheki!"

Then, the mist from the atmosphere gathered around her and a large wall of water encircled Sakura, just as what would the Armor of Sand surround Gaara from attacks.

This wall engulfed the water bullets and Sakura just found herself inside this swirling wall of water. She stood up and then the wall of water around her collapsed on the ground.

"Too slow." Kashime suddenly appeared beside Sakura. And with only one hand, she made the hand seals and said, "Suiro no Jutsu."

Then, Sakura found herself inside a bubble made from water gathered from the disappearing walls of water.

"You've got nowhere to go now, Sakura." Kashime smiled, "Cousin dear, you lost!"

"Suiro no Jutsu?" Sakura smirked, "You'll only be able to keep me in this water prison if you keep one arm in the bubble."

"Right!" Kashime said, "You lost!"

"I don't think so!" Sakura said as she grasped Kashime's arm in the bubble with her hands with Shosen Jutsu, "Don't ever underestimate the student of Tsunade-sama!"

Kashime fell on her knees from the pain inflicted on her arm. The bubble disappeared and Sakura found herself on the safe ground. Indeed, the muscles in Kashime's arm were cut.

Sakura walked over to her squirming cousin and smiled, "Looks like I'm the winner now, Kashime. Now, you've got to teach me Suiton and Hyoton as consequence!"

"Finally… the successor is back with vengeance." Kashime smiled, still holding her aching arm, "I'm sure the Hokage would be glad."

"There was never a time Tsunade-sama was never glad for me." Sakura said as she started healing the damage she inflicted to her cousin, "I am most definitely back. I… Haruno Sakura of Konoha, the Hokage's apprentice… am back in action."

That night…

Sakura was lying on her bed in her room, after recalling enough jutsus, after the hectic training with Kashime. After all the Suiton and Hyoton Kashime just taught her, she was so exhausted that she's now resting comfortably in her bedroom.

Kashime was in her black night robe with linings of silver laces around the robe. She sat on the chair of her own bedroom and looked at her pendant clock with the symbol of the Mist engraved on the lid. She pressed the turquoise gem on top and the pendant clock flew open and saw the time, 11:45 in the evening.

She couldn't sleep. Even if her cousin was the one who'll face up against the Uchiha prodigy tomorrow, she can't help but think.

"_What if she fails and dies?"_

"_What kind of stupid gamble have I been playing?"_

"_Damn it, my uncle's gonna haunt me for sure if news reach his departed soul that his daughter is gone."_

"_Oh darn, Dad's departed soul would also strangle me if he learned that his niece died because of some stupidity I showed."_

"_Think Kashime, think."_

"_Think positive, Sakura is the successor of Godaime Hokage, she won't lose!"_

"Kashime-san." A voice hissed as a knock on her window caught her attention, "Kashime-san!"

Kashime walked over to her window and opened it and greeted the yellow-eyed, red-haired Nishu, "Good evening, Nishu. What are you doing in a civilian's dress?"

"Never mind that! I know the location of Uchiha Sasuke." Nishu whispered, "In the cave in the heart of the forest, at the foot of the mountain."

"Are you sure, Nishu?"

"100 sure, Kashime-san."

"Okay then, thanks Nishu. You are now dismissed." Kashime nodded.

Nishu bowed and leapt from tree to tree to get back to the headquarters.

"_It will be soon time… The deciding match will be soon to paint the sun with blood."_ Kashime once again stared at her pendant clock, 11:50 in the evening.

"_It will be the deciding battle… Will it be Sasuke's life or Sakura's life?"_

Kashime closed the window and lay on her bed to sleep.

Meanwhile…

**(Sakura's POV)**

I know I have forgotten a lot of things about myself. But I still am not sure if I also have forgotten my feelings for Sasuke. It's really late at night; I think Kashime's already asleep. I know I should be asleep right now, but I can't help but think of such things that would take place tomorrow.

_Kazesasou kokage ni utsubusete naiteru_

_Mi mo shiranu watashi wo watashi ga miteita_

_Yuku hito no shirabe wo kanaderu GITAARA_

_Konu hito no nageki ni hoshi ha ochite_

_(Shaded by the trees, calling out to the wind, I'm lying facedown, crying)_

_(I saw a version of myself I didn't even recognize)_

_(On this guitar I'm playing the melody of someone who's passed on)_

_(A star falls in the grief of someone who'll never be seen again)_

Tomorrow will be a new day. And Kashime would be a bait to make Sasuke come to me and fight me in a forest. But I know Sasuke, he's fast and agile, but so is Kashime. The only thing was Sasuke's advantage – his Sharingan, Orochimaru's curse and enough training with Kakashi-sensei, I fear greatly for Kashime's life.

If she's killed, what would the Mizukage do?

She's also destined to become a successor, too.

Sasuke would kill anyone, anyone who goes against him. I guess that's why he's after me, to kill me… because I rejected him. What shallow reason he has to kill me! That short-tempered jerk!

Tomorrow will be a new day. And tomorrow would be the deciding moment… Is Death going to take my life or his? Is Death going to take away Kashime's life as well?

Konoha… my homeland, my motherland, I just want to go back home. I want to see Ino getting married to Shikamaru… I want to see how jubilant Naruto would be as Hinata gives birth to their child. I want to learn more under Tsunade-sama, and those times when Shizune and I would tease her to do unbelievable things like wearing a wedding gown on a meeting with the Council of Advisors…

_Yukanaide, donna ni sakende mo_

_ORENJI no hanabira shizuka ni yureru dake_

_Yawarakana hitai ni nokosareta_

_Te no hira no kioku haruka_

_Tokoshie no sayonara tsuma hiku_

_(Please don't go, no matter how much you scream,)_

_(All it will do is quietly stir these orange petals)_

_(Saved on my soft brow,)_

_(I send the memories in my palm far away)_

_(An eternal farewell as I keep strumming)_

How is Kakashi-sensei? I hope he's doing well… Neji and Tenten… when will they have a baby? Once I asked Neji if he already wants a baby from Tenten… And he answered that he wasn't thinking of a baby first, he wanted to enjoy his time with Tenten and then that's when they decide to have a baby. Damn Tenten, she's so lucky to have Neji as her husband… But there's more about them… I'm jealous of them…

They love each other, and would protect each other, even if Neji is predictably more able than Tenten. Sasuke is almost an equivalent of Neji… But Neji is the brighter side of the two worlds – he knows how to love and how to show it. Sasuke… has an ice cold stone heart. He's too obsessed with the desire of killing his brother… Who can blame him? But I can't forget his betrayal to Konoha… After his return, I nursed him, comforted him and all of a sudden he asks me to marry him?

I can still remember… my sudden refusal after my long engagement to him. I guess I was too awestruck that's why I said 'yes' to his proposal. I was wrong. I made a grave mistake. And that mistake triggered more evils to push my face in the thorns… not only me, but also… Konoha.

I am known throughout Konoha as the one who has the upper hand to being the Sixth Hokage, but what I'm doing is exactly the opposite of what's there to be expected of me. I, a soon successor of the Hokage, puts innocent lives of people in danger? Yes, I now remember that time, that time when Sasuke returned to Konoha once again but he was contaminated with that curse again… He was berserk and he planned to kill me, but this involved other lives too, I'm just thankful that Neji, Tenten, Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru and Lee were there to help me out.

Lee?

Rock Lee? That guy with thick eyebrows and told me countless times that he liked me? He saved my life from that bus, as far as I can remember when I was still awake at every spine-chilling moment of that tragic event.

Is he dead?

I hope not.

But that very moment where I lost my memory, I just know that many other people where killed. Mist Anbus, and even other people from Konoha, who are also aboard the bus.

He killed innocent lives from the land where he was born.

A traitor.

Yes, that's what he is, a traitor.

So what if he's a genuine Uchiha?

Would a man kill his mother for the sake of his own greed?

Uchiha Sasuke caused havoc to my homeland.

And I… as the student of the Hokage… would **not** and **NEVER** forgive him. I… **will exterminate HIM.** No matter how much it costs, no matter how dangerous the risks are, no matter where, no matter when… I will kill the traitor of my homeland.

After all, this is what is expected of the Hokage's soon successor.

…But for now, I need to sleep.

…For tomorrow… tomorrow will be a new day… The new dawn will rise and the paths of destiny will change… Tomorrow, a new day… **I will kill**!

The next day…

**(Third person POV)**

Kashime, leaping from tree to tree, was now on her way to the Uchiha's hideout.

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

"I want you to stay here." Kashime told Sakura who was ready enough to kill, "I will bring Sasuke here. I know he will follow me, but I want you to stop him."

"Please be careful." Sakura advised, "He is merciless-"

"I know, Sakura, I know." Kashime rolled her eyes, "Just do what you're supposed to do. I want you to think over the jutsus I taught you, also, think over a lot of things. You will need it. Ponder over Sasuke right now, so that you'll put away all your other emotions during the fight. The fight… I want you only to remember anger. Remember, we're not doing this only for the Leaf, but also for the Mist."

With that, Kashime disappeared with a mist fog.

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

"Let this not take away the life of Sakura." Kashime muttered as she was nearing the cave where Sasuke hides.

_Yasashii te ni sugaru kodomo no kokoro wo_

_Moesakaru kuruma ha furiharai susumu_

_Yuku hito no nageki wo kanadete GITAARA_

_Mune no ito hageshiku kakinarashite_

_(The heart of a child clinging to a gentle hand)_

_(The blazing wheels cast it off and continue on)_

_(On this guitar I'm playing the grief of someone who's passed on)_

_(The strings in my heart being plucked at violently)_

Kashime finally landed on the tree closest to the cave. She saw Sasuke training with Katon jutsus.

"_This is it!"_ Kashime thought as she grabbed four kunais from her leg pack, each kunai in between fingers on her right hand.

With the left hand, she made hand seals and exclaimed in her mind, _"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"_

Then, countless mist clones stood on a branch of a tree hidden nearest the cave.

Of course, Sasuke would notice somebody near him, eyeing him, aiming him. Then, four kunais were thrown at the foot of the cave. Then more kunais landed at the entrance of the cave, all coming from behind the trees.

Sasuke had his Sharingan activated and of course, saw the clones.

He made hand seals and from the cave and made an intake of air and a giant fireball scorched the trees into ashes, the dark metals of the kunais on the ground, almost melting. Then, a swirling wall of water intrigued Sasuke, a Suiton: Sujinheki was performed on a tree, therefore, not reaching the flames of his Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu.

The flames disappeared and Sasuke got out of the cave.

"You there, why do you want to die?" Sasuke mocked as the swirling wall of water collapsed and unveiled Haruno Kashime.

"Seriously, what do you think?" Kashime answered, "Of course, I wouldn't want to die first without you being dead!"

Then, she threw senbons at him, of course, he, evading all of them. Taking that as an insult, Sasuke leapt off the ground and appeared before Kashime, his curse spreading all over his body. He placed each of his arms over her shoulders, his hands on the tree. Sasuke thinks she wouldn't get away.

"Are you trying to challenge me?" the Uchiha prodigy asked.

"Do you have to ask me that question when it's already clear enough that **I am**?"

The Kashime that Sasuke cornered suddenly disappeared with a mist fog.

"If you want some, then come and get some." Kashime hissed, who was standing on a branch of a tree behind Sasuke.

Then, off she leapt from tree to tree with an incredible speed. The Uchiha avenger followed.

Reaching the area where Kashime placed Sakura, she quickly stood beside her cousin. Sasuke, utterly startled by her presence, stopped a few meters away in front of Sakura.

"Surprised?" Sakura smirked.

_Aa kanashimi ni somaranai shirosa de_

_ORENJI no hanabira yureteta natsu no kage ni_

_Yawarakana hitai wo nakushite mo_

_Akaku someta suna haruka koete yuku_

_Sayonara no RIZUMU_

_(In the pure white unstained by sorrow,)_

_(The orange petals stirred in a summer shadow)_

_(Even if my soft brow is lost,)_

_(I'll cross over the far off, red-stained sand)_

_(The rhythm of farewell)_

Ignoring Sakura, Sasuke lunged for Kashime but the Hokage's apprentice caught his wrist and threw him to a tree.

"You think you could get away with all of your faults?" Sakura furrowed her eyebrows, "Stop kidding me, I already know everything, Uchiha!"

Taking that as a signal to go away, Kashime disappeared once again with a mist fog.

Sasuke was laughing, the curse infecting him once more.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he said, "A heroine-wannabe, right here, in front of me? Why Sakura? You think that I wouldn't kill you?"

"Tell you what: I'll never allow myself to die in your hands!" Sakura grabbed a kunai each on her hand and continued, "You're nothing but a noisy piece of shit!"

"Why you little!" a cackling sound of a thousand birds echoed in the air: Chidori, "I'll turn you into ashes!"

"Then try!" Sakura yelled with determination and fury, her hands glowing with green chakra: Shosen Jutsu; "See if I care!"

The two lunged towards each other. But Sakura immediately diverted her footwork and appeared at the back of Sasuke and she struck Sasuke's left shoulder and right thigh using her Shosen Jutsu. Sasuke made a back kick using his left leg and Sakura got hit on her abdomen.

Sasuke clenched his fists on Sakura's clothes and cornered her onto a tree, "You should learn never to insult me!"

_Omoide wo yakitsukushite susumu daichi ni_

_Natsukashiku me fuite yuku mono ga aru no_

_(Branded into my memories, on the ever-turning earth,)_

_(There is something sprouting in remembrance)_

"You never changed at all." Sakura said, "Do you still remember when you first betrayed Konoha? I was the last one you talked to. All you cared about is your big ego. You returned and I healed your wounds, and then without warning, you proposed to me… That's when I realized: you're the biggest mistake of my whole life!"

She made hand seals and exclaimed, "Hyoton: Tsubame Fubuki!"

Then, small swallows made of ice went flying through the air and dropping ice senbons towards Sasuke.

Sasuke made hand seals, "Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!"

Then, multiple balls of fire were shot into the air, from his mouth, melting the ice.

"Damn, you are still so weak." Sasuke mocked, "How pathetic of you! You still find the guts to be arrogant to me. You've got nothing to prove Sakura. And that encounter when I embraced Orochimaru's invitation to become stronger… I can still remember you confess that you love me."

Sasuke then appeared beside Sakura and whispered in her ear, "I don't love you. And I never will!"

_Akatsuki no kuruma wo miokutte_

_ORENJI no hanabira yureteru ima mo dokoka_

_(Sending off the dawn's carriage)_

_(Those orange petals are stirring somewhere even now)_

Sakura swung a punch towards him but he disappeared and her punch landed on a tree instead. The tree collapsed due to her goliath-like strength that she inherited from Tsunade.

Seeing that she indeed has improved, Sasuke just chuckled, "Stop showing off!"

"Like what I've just said, Sasuke!" Sakura yelled, with her fist still in the position after her blow to a tree, "YOU WERE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT I WOULD EVER FORGIVE YOU! YOU DESTROYED MY LIFE AND YOU TURNED YOUR BACK TO KONOHA! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A WORTHLESS **TRAITOR**!"

_Itsuka mita yasurakana yoake wo_

_Mou ichido te ni suru made_

_Kesanaide tomoshibi_

_(The peaceful daybreak I once saw)_

_(Until it is placed in my hands once more,)_

_(Please don't let the lights go out)_

Sakura lunged for Sasuke, with her Shosen Jutsu and tears in her eyes. He was able to catch her wrists and he threw her away, she, landing on her bum and using her hands to claw the ground and break the momentum. She failed however, even hitting her back onto a boulder nearby. The Uchiha never failed to see those tears and mocked, "Crying? Is it because you can never swallow what you've said a while ago?"

"No…" Sakura whispered, "It's because I know that I'm still too weak… And I can never kill you, no matter how much I try… But I'm Haruno Sakura… the apprentice of the Hokage… and I will kill you, even if my life is at stake!"

Sasuke, getting ticked off lunged at her and Sakura did the same, still using her Shosen Jutsu.

Sakura was able to hit Sasuke's muscles near his heart and his diaphragm, he choked out blood but it was Sakura who fainted – Sasuke sent his left knee up to Sakura's abdomen and then with chakra on his fist, he punched Sakura on the head, and blood was now trickling down from her head and onto her clothes.

_Kuruma ha mawaru yo_

_(The wheels are turning…)_

Sasuke lifted Sakura on his shoulders and took her away. Kashime, who was just watching on a branch of a nearby tree, fell to her knees and her eyes widening with tears continually flowing down her face.

"Sakura, I'm so sorry…" Kashime sobbed as she cried helplessly.

_TBC…_


	25. Strategies

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_AUTHOR'S SPECIAL HOLIDAY TREAT!_ Greetings of good tidings, everyone! And since today is Christmas, I am giving all of you a treat! My Christmas present to you is… 3 Chapters of Homebound up! That's right! Three! As in, T-H-R-E-E! So, I hope y'all enjoy these 3 Chapters! Happy holidays, everyone!**

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**(Chapter 25 – Strategies)**

Tenten was now released from the hospital and so was Neji.

"I've been wondering…" Tenten said as they walked, getting out of the hospital, "Where do you think Lee and Sakura are right now? Is there a possibility that they are alive?"

"Let's not think negative, Tenten." Neji replied, "We'll continue our search."

"Before we continue, I just want to make things certain first." Tenten told her husband and then walked over to a map store.

"Good morning, Ma'am!" the shopkeeper greeted, "May I help you?"

"Yes, do you have a detailed map of this town?" Tenten asked.

Neji tailed behind Tenten, wondering what she's up to. Knowing that she's a woman who wants to aim her targets, he just keeps his trap shut. She must have a good idea.

"Here you go, Ma'am. Is this what you're looking for?" the polite shopkeeper said, handing her a handy detailed map of the town.

"Yes, this is it. How much is it?" Tenten continued as she looked the map.

"Ah, that will be 98 Ryous." He said.

Tenten reached in her pocket and got a 100-Ryou bill and handed it to the man, "Keep the change."

"Why thank you, Ma'am. Please come back again!" the shopkeeper bade as the couple exited the store.

"Where next, boss?" Neji teased.

Tenten smiled at him and said, "I would want to have enough time to think over. Would it be okay if we stayed at an inn? After all, we haven't had any rests and bookings yet!"

Neji nodded and told her, "Mind if you share your ideas with me later?"

"Of course I'll need your help!" she folded the map and smiled as she hugged his left arm and leaned her head on his… uh… upper arm. He's too tall you know?

Neji had a smile tugging at his lips and walked with his wife into an inn. They booked on the receiving desk of the inn and Neji got the keys to their room.

Once he opened the door, he gently pushed his wife into the room as a sign of 'Ladies first' and then closed the door behind him.

The room had one king-sized bed and it was large enough for the two of them. Tenten placed her luggage beside the bed and got a notebook and a pencil out from her bag and propped them down on the bed with the map.

She removed her sandals and sat on the bed with her legs crossed and opened the notebook, and then she began to write things down.

"First, Lee and Sakura disembarked the ferry and went to the bus terminal for foreigners who are going to enter the Mist." Tenten said out aloud.

When she wrote that down, she also drew a line on the map, from the pier outside the Mist and to the bus terminal near the pier.

Knowing what she's up to, Neji removed his sandals and sat across his wife with his legs crossed as well.

"And then the bus entered the gates of the Mist." Tenten said as she wrote that down and drew a line from the bus terminal and into the gates of the Mist on the map.

"This is the site where the chaos happened." Neji gently grabbed the pencil from his wife and drew a spot on the map, on the road past the gates of the Mist.

"Yes. And look Neji, around half a mile away from the road, there's a small group of houses here in the forest." Tenten took the pencil from her husband and drew a question mark on the group of houses shown on the map on the forest left of the road where the tragedy happened. The group of houses was at the center of the forest.

"There's a possibility that people from that group witnessed what had happened." Neji stood up and wore his sandals, "Stay here, I'll go ask if they **did** see what happened."

Just when he was about to leave, Tenten hurriedly stood up and wore her sandals as well and grabbed his wrist, "Wait, Neji!"

Her husband turned to her and asked, "What?"

"Do you still have that nin card Sakura gave before she left Konoha?" Tenten asked.

Neji walked over to his luggage and opened a side pocket on his bag. He found the blank nin card and gave it to his wife.

She took it and concentrated chakra on the card and it showed the details about Haruno Kashime.

"What about her?" Neji asked as he went beside her and took a look at the nin card.

"I'll go question her about it." Tenten answered, "I do not doubt the fact that she may answer our question."

"Great. But don't you want to go to the hospital first?" Neji smiled.

"Neji, I'm feeling better!" she shrugged, "There's no need for me to go back to the hospital!"

"I did not say that you need some more confinement, silly." He chuckled, "If they survived, they would be taken there, right?"

"You're so damn wise!" she stood on her heels and gave him a peck on his cheek.

With that, she opened the door and went out. Neji just stood there, slightly blushing with a hand on his cheek… and he smiled.

"Neji! Let's go!" he heard Tenten's voice from the ajar door.

He then went out of the room and locked the door.

_TBC…_

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**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ I'm sorry this chappie was short! Not to worry, because there are more on the next chapters! I PROMISE:D**


	26. Findings

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(Chapter 26 – Findings)**

"Hi, we just want to know if a 'Haruno Sakura' was confined here just recently." Tenten told a nurse on the receiving desk of the hospital.

"Yes, Ma'am, please wait a while I check the files." The nurse bowed.

The nurse went to the file cabinet and opened a drawer with a label 'G-H'. She took out a folder and gave it to Tenten.

"Thank you, very much." Tenten smiled.

She browsed at the papers and told Neji, "Sakura is still alive. Look at this out paper, Kashime just signed it a few days ago. But… If she was hospitalized a few days ago, could it mean that she was only found days after the tragedy?"

"No, look at the problem listed right there." Neji pointed on the document, "It says deep cut on the palms. Just like what I had after we encountered Sasuke. And look at the treatment given, layered stitches, medical jutsus and antiseptics. It means she wasn't hospitalized because of the bus tragedy."

"That's right, because if she did, the problems listed will be more than just deep cut on the palms and the treatment given would not only be layered stitches, medical jutsus and antiseptics, if we take into consideration how great the damages were done at the tragedy." Tenten spoke, "It means she survived the tragedy and she was under the care of Kashime. But how were her wounds treated after the tragedy if her cousin doesn't even have experience or any knowledge about medic expertise?"

"Miss, do you have any more files from Haruno Sakura?" Neji asked the nurse.

"No, Sir, that was all." The nurse shrugged.

"…But then again, Sir." The nurse caught the attention of the couple, "When I filed the papers for Miss Haruno, I recognized the face of the person who signed it. The person who signed the papers for Miss Haruno was the one who also signed the papers for Miss Haruno's look-alike, after I heard about the very alarming tragedy that had happened to a passenger bus that had just entered the town some days ago. Uhm, would you like to see it?"

Neji looked at his wife and she looked like she had been thinking about something very deeply.

"Please." Neji nodded.

The nurse bowed again and opened a drawer that says, 'M-O'.

She took out a folder and gave it to Neji and said, "Miss Mikiyo Ayumi was her name. But I swear when we found the jounin license when we took off Miss Mikiyo's dirty clothes, I saw the name 'Haruno Sakura' on the license. Miss Haruno Kashime, the person who signed both documents, told us to keep the personality of Miss Haruno and the belongings found with her… a secret."

Tenten took a scroll from her leg pack and gave it to the nurse.

"We'll take these documents and show us the belongings you found when Miss 'Mikiyo' was confined." Tenten told the nurse with authority.

She examined the two folders. On the folder named 'Haruno Sakura', the name 'Mikiyo Ayumi' which was written directly on the blank, was crossed out with round doodles and 'Haruno Sakura' was placed above the erased name. If you would look at the folder named 'Mikiyo Ayumi', you would see the name 'Haruno Sakura' directly written on the blank, and crossed out with round doodles and had the name 'Mikiyo Ayumi' placed on top.

"_Meaning to say, these documents only speak of one person."_ Tenten thought.

The nurse opened the scroll and read that it was an official permission signed by the Hokage. She bowed and gave the scroll back to them, "As you wish, Ma'am. Please follow me."

The nurse and the couple then entered the nurses' lounge which was behind the doors of that receiving desk. Then, she opened another door behind the emergency stairs of the lounge and they just entered a cold and dark room.

The nurses flicked open the lights and then the room was unveiled – it was the passageway to a giant safety vault.

She walked towards the vault and made a long series of hand seals. She then placed her hand on the lock of the vault and the huge vault wheels and gears started turning and the vault opened.

The nurse and the couple went inside the very cold vault and found out that this vault was divided into 26 aisles. They went to aisle 13 'M'.

The nurse looked at the labels of the metal drawers and then stopped to a drawer labeled, 'Mikiyo Ayumi'. She opened the drawer and had the couple have a look.

On one bag were the bloodstained clothes. The couple quickly remembered that these were the same clothes Sakura wore on the day she and Lee escaped Konoha.

And then the other bag held items like a wallet and a Konoha forehead protector. Tenten took out the bag which held the items and took the wallet. She searched the items in the wallet and found a wallet-sized picture of Sakura and Naruto, Sakura, Shizune with Tonton and Tsunade, Sakura and Lee, Sakura and Sasuke and solo pictures of Sakura and one solo picture of Sasuke.

"Do you know those in the picture?" the nurse asked, "The question of 'who are they' have been haunting my mind."

"Yes, they are also jounins from Konoha." Neji replied.

Tenten took out the three licenses – a genin license, a chuunin license and a jounin license. They were all named after Sakura.

"Why did Kashime say that you should keep these entire secret?" Tenten said as she placed back the pictures and the licenses.

"The doctors say that Miss Mikiyo-"

"Miss Haruno." Neji corrected.

"That Miss Haruno Sakura had amnesia so it would be better off if she was given a different personality. Miss Haruno Kashime agreed to do so and paid us enough money to store all these secrets in a safety vault like this." The nurse implied, "This vault is made for secret keeping. For those who want to be forgotten, their items are stored in here and they have to pay great amounts of money to keep the secret safe. But of course, to every rule, there is an exemption. If somebody questions the assumed secret and has a given authority by any of the country leaders, then we have to spill it out only to them and no one else."

"Thank you very much, Miss." Tenten smiled as she placed the wallet of Sakura in one of the folders she was holding, "I'll just take this wallet. You may keep all the other belongings of Sakura in here."

The nurse bowed, "Yes, Ma'am."

They exited the rooms they entered and the nurse went back to her station on the receiving desk.

"So, Sir, Ma'am, do you need anything else?" the nurse smiled.

"No, this has been a lot already." Tenten smiled.

"Actually, there's one more thing." Neji suddenly spoke.

"And what is that, Sir?"

"Was there a 'Rock Lee' confined here, the same time or almost at the same time as the first confinement of Haruno Sakura?"

Tenten implied, "Yes, I almost forgot. Was Rock Lee confined here?"

"I'll just check. Please wait a while." The nurse bowed once more and walked to the file cabinet and opened a drawer that says, 'P-S'.

She searched the drawers but walked back to the couple with an apologetic face.

"I'm sorry, Sir, there was no 'Rock Lee' confined in this hospital." The nurse told the two.

The couple looked at each other with troubled faces. Rock Lee… was missing.

_TBC…_


	27. Interrogations

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_HOMEBOUND UPDATE:_ I'm currently writing Chapter 36 now… I think there's a slight possibility that Homebound might end with 40+ chapters or 50+. But please, please, please! Support Homebound! I know it's a very long story, but I promise, all of you will be satisfied!**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Actually, there's one more thing." Neji suddenly spoke.

"And what is that, Sir?"

"Was there a 'Rock Lee' confined here, the same time or almost at the same time as the first confinement of Haruno Sakura?"

Tenten implied, "Yes, I almost forgot. Was Rock Lee confined here?"

"I'll just check. Please wait a while." The nurse bowed once more and walked to the file cabinet and opened a drawer that says, 'P-S'.

She searched the drawers but walked back to the couple with an apologetic face.

"I'm sorry, Sir, there was no 'Rock Lee' confined in this hospital." The nurse told the two.

The couple looked at each other with troubled faces. Rock Lee… was missing.

**(Chapter 27 – Interrogations)**

"A-are you sure?" Tenten asked.

Rock Lee, after all, was their teammate. He was persistent and tough, master of Taijutsu but… why is he missing?

"I'm positive that if his file is not here, then he's never been diagnosed here." The nurse said.

"Okay then, we'll be leaving now." Neji told the nurse and bowed, "Thank you very much for the help."

"Glad to be in service, Sir." The nurse bowed back, "Please come back again!"

The couple went out of the hospital and Tenten sighed.

"Hey, at least we know Sakura is alive." Neji told his wife who was troubled.

"But Lee is different… He was our teammate and we'll never have another great friend like him." Tenten replied.

"Look, I know that if we lose Lee, it will all be too bad." He said, "Lee is annoying, I can't stand him seeing those super thick eyebrows of his, and even when he makes the genuine 'nice guy' pose. But I will also never forget our good times with him, Tenten. If Sakura survived, there's a great possibility that Lee had survived as well."

They stopped under an oak tree near the sidewalk of a park and Neji said, "I'll go to the group of houses now. You should go to Kashime. We'll meet here after an hour or so."

Tenten just nodded. Neji placed a hand on her chin and tilted it up a little. He looked at her melancholy features and said, "Cheer up, Tenten. I'm sure he's okay."

Then, he locked his lips with hers and then placed his forehead on hers and whispered, "Never fail to hope, Tenten. We still have hopes of returning to Konoha with them."

"But…" Tenten started crying, "What if Sasuke already killed Lee?"

Neji hugged his wife and said, "Sshh… It will all be okay. I promise."

11 minutes later…

Tenten finally reached Kashime's house, with the two folders under her arm. She knocked on the door and said, "Hello is anybody home?"

No response.

She knocked on the door and still got no response.

Desperate enough, she tried to turn the doorknob and was shocked to find out that it was unlocked.

"_That's weird. If nobody's home, they should keep the door locked."_ She thought as she closed the door behind her.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" She shouted as she didn't take any step after impolitely entering the house. She did this to show a little shame on behalf of the owner of the house.

She can just hear sobs from a room. Then, she heard glasses breaking. She ran to a room and saw an orange-haired woman crying on the floor.

She saw that where was supposed to be the mirror was now stabbed with eight shurikens and the shattered mirror pieces are now scattered on the floor below.

She knelt beside the crying woman and asked, "Uhm, excuse me, Ma'am. I'm uh… Hyuga Tenten, a jounin sent by the Hokage to retrieve Sakura and Lee. You're Miss Haruno Kashime, are you not?"

"What do you want from me?" Kashime sat up and wiped her tears with her hands, "Sakura is not here! And I don't know this 'Lee'!"

"Uhm, okay." Tenten stood up and offered a hand to Kashime, "Would you like to sit in your living room, then?"

Kashime just took her hand and stood up, walking to the living room.

Tenten sat across Kashime and handed the older woman the 2 folders.

"I just want to ask a few questions." Tenten told Kashime, "Did you take care of Sakura after the accident?"

"Yes." Kashime replied, opening the folders, "These folders are from the hospital. And this wallet… It should not be here."

"I know." Tenten smiled, "We have been authorized by the Hokage to interrogate any people on the whereabouts of Haruno Sakura and Rock Lee."

"If that's so, then you should know what have I done, am I right?" Kashime told her, "What more do you want to know?"

"Then I guess you also know Uchiha Sasuke-"

"Of course I know him!" Kashime bitterly interrupted.

Tenten, knowing that Kashime is not alright, tried to be more gentle in choosing her words. But an annoyed woman was plucking at her every nerves right now, so she asked, "Excuse me, but is something wrong?"

"Sakura's not here."

"I understand that, but, why were you crying a while ago?" Tenten asked, "Even irritated right now?"

"Are you deaf? I just said Sakura's not here!" Kashime shouted.

Tenten was taken back with that statement, "Is she not just walking around somewhere in town right now?"

"Tell me, if you warned your cousin about a killer after her, would she dare be walking around in town now!" Kashime pounded her fists on the table, "Answer me!"

"Well, if she's not here, then where is she?" Tenten asked; fear now taking over her voice, seeing the fury in Kashime's eyes.

Kashime broke down again and cried, "Sasuke… Sasuke and Sakura fought a battle a while ago… Sakura lost and… and… Sasuke took her away. I don't know where she is right now, I don't even know if she's all right but… It's my entire fault! I shouldn't have gambled with her life!"

Tenten just stared at the woman who was crying right now and thought, _"Sasuke kidnapped Sakura? It doesn't get any worse than that!"_

_TBC…_


	28. Lost and Found

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATE!_ I'm currently finishing Chapter 38 and soon I'll be writing Chapter 39.**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Tell me, if you warned your cousin about a killer after her, would she dare be walking around in town now!" Kashime pounded her fists on the table, "Answer me!"

"Well, if she's not here, then where is she?" Tenten asked; fear now taking over her voice, seeing the fury in Kashime's eyes.

Kashime broke down again and cried, "Sasuke… Sasuke and Sakura fought a battle a while ago… Sakura lost and… and… Sasuke took her away. I don't know where she is right now, I don't even know if she's all right but… It's my entire fault! I shouldn't have gambled with her life!"

Tenten just stared at the woman who was crying right now and thought, _"Sasuke kidnapped Sakura? It doesn't get any worse than that!"_

**(Chapter 28 – Lost and Found)**

"Would you mind expounding?" Tenten asked.

"Sakura had amnesia when she was sent to the hospital after an Anbu squad found her in the forest, on the night of the accident." Kashime explained, "There was a time when I have to go away because the Mizukage wanted me to deliver a message and this was the time when Sakura was working in a daycare center… and then she met Sasuke who was injured from the fights against the Anbus, perhaps. But Sasuke didn't recognize her, I guess. I told Sakura that her name was Ayumi and made her wear purple lenses. Sakura took Sasuke here and mended his wounds while I was away… until when I returned and saw the two of them… I accidentally called 'Ayumi' by her real name… And with that, she freaked out and Sasuke tried to kill me but Sakura blocked the attack with her own hands."

"_Now that explains those 2 folders."_ Tenten thought, _"But why did Sakura get into a fight with Sasuke as her opponent?"_

"Sakura remembered everything afterwards… I told her… Sasuke would take away her life but it can be avoided if she takes his life away first. And so… they encountered a while ago… I thought Sakura had the upper hand when I taught her Suiton and Hyoton… But I guess her emotions were still in the way although I told her to pull it apart, in order to kill him… but… Sasuke is still dominant and even kidnapped Sakura after she was defeated so now… I… I am indeed in grief of how I gambled her life… It's a grave sin!"

Tenten walked beside the older woman and hugged her, "Rest assured, my husband and I will grab her away from Sasuke and set her homebound to Konoha. We will arrest Sasuke and after all that, everything will be okay."

Kashime hugged Tenten tightly and said, "I trust in you! Please send her back to Konoha! Keep her safe… Save her…"

Meanwhile…

Neji reached the group of houses in the forest and saw a group of men around a bonfire.

"Excuse me, but do you happen to know about the bus accident that had happened some days ago?" Neji approached the men, "I'm Hyuga Neji from Konoha. I'm an authorized representative of the Hokage. My wife and I were sent here on official business to find 2 jounins."

Neji handed over a scroll to one of the men and said, "Well gentlemen, do you happen to know anything about the tragedy?"

"Sorry fine lad, but we hunters, do not receive news from the town outside of our residence. We do not know anything that happens outside of this forest." A man replied.

"Here's more wood!" a voice from the shadows of the forest said.

"Tonde! Come over here and join us! We have a visitor who's asking us questions." Another man from the group called.

"I'm coming!" the man named 'Tonde' sat beside the men and looked at Neji.

"Yes, what is your question?"

Neji smiled at the man who was brining wood to the campfire, "Lee?"

Lee stopped in his tracks and grinned, "Neji!"

Lee placed the wood near Tonde and jumped for joy.

"Weepee! Neji's here!" Lee cheered.

Lee turned to the group of hunters and said, "Guys, I want you to meet Hyuga Neji! He's my teammate ever since I was a genin! He's a genius! And! He's got a bloodline limit!"

"Shut up, Lee." A vein popped out from Neji's forehead.

"Aww, geez…" Lee frowned, "Hey Neji, I want you to meet this guy over here. His name is Tonde. He was the one who found me in the forest with his friend and took me to his wife and mended my wounds! Did you know that I encountered Sasuke after the bus exploded? He was after Sakura!"

Neji smiled, "Yes, and right now, Tenten is interrogating Kashime about Sakura-"

"Wow! Tenten is also here?" Lee cheered once more, "Team Gai reunion!"

Neji hid his face in his right hand because of embarrassment and said, "Lee, just get packing, we're going back to Konoha. This is an order from the Hokage."

Then, amidst the cheers of Lee, he suddenly became saddened, "I wish Sakura is safe…"

"Don't worry; she has been treated in the hospital immediately after the tragedy." Neji added.

"Tonde-san, I want to thank you for all you've done for me. I have to go home now; Hokage-sama might even kill me if I don't go home now. I'll be heading to your house now and thank Yoka-san personally." Lee bowed and left.

"Ah, I guess you need not your questions answered." Tonde smiled at Neji, "You found what you were looking for."

"Most certainly, Sir." Neji bowed, "On behalf of Konoha, I'd like to thank you and this small community for nursing Lee."

33 minutes later…

"Hmmm? Why is Tenten-chan so late?" Lee fidgeted around the oak tree in the park.

"She'll be here soon, Lee." Neji sighed, "She even cried for you a while ago upon hearing that you weren't treated in the hospital. She thought that it was only Sakura who made it alive. But boy, will she be delighted to see you right now!"

"Speaking of which," Lee pointed to a silhouette approaching them, "there she is! Hey Neji! Keep quiet! I'll make a grand entrance, okay?"

"Hn." Was the Hyuga prodigy's only reply.

"Hey Neji." Tenten walked up to her husband and smiled, "So, what's up-"

"Hey Tenten!" Lee suddenly leapt off the tree and in front of Tenten, "IT IS I, THE GREAT HERO FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, ROCK LEE!"

"Eeeek!" Tenten freaked out and threw a small rock on Lee's head, "A green monster!"

Neji just chuckled at his wife's childish reaction as she hid behind him.

"Ouch! Why'd you do that for!" Lee said as he massaged the small lump on his head, "Tenten, it's me, Lee!"

Tenten finally withdrew from hiding behind her husband and peeked.

"Lee?" Tenten smiled.

_TBC…_


	29. Determined Goodwill

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_ And here's my New Year's Gift! 3 Chapters! Weee!**

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**(Chapter 29 – Determined Goodwill)**

"Gosh, I can't believe you're alive!" Tenten gave Lee a bone-crushing hug and said, "Damn, I thought you were dead for a second!"

"Ouch! Tenten, the hug… it's… ack! Tenten, get off of me! …can't… breathe!" Lee whined.

"Woops, sorry!" she giggled.

Neji spoke, "Great, then, we should get going by tomorrow morning-"

"No, we'll be going the day after tomorrow." Tenten confirmed, "I'll explain things later."

"Explain what?" Lee asked.

She faced Lee and sweatdropped, "I'll explain to Neji what he's supposed to do when a green monster like you bites off his ear!"

"Oh man…" Lee sighed, "Share your secrets!"

"She'll just explain to me the requirements for the next Chuunin exams." Neji covered.

"But Neji, you're already a jounin!" Lee pouted.

A vein popped out of Neji's fists and temples as he said while he gnashed his teeth, "Lee, that's because I'm going to be a facilitator in one of the tests!"

"Now, now, guys!" Tenten butted in, "Can we please go back to the inn now?"

17 minutes later…

"Hey, where would I be sleeping?" Lee asked when he noticed that the room only had one bed.

"On the couch." Neji replied.

"Oh c'mon Neji, don't be so rude." Tenten smiled, "I'll just ask the receptionists downstairs if they could bring a futon, some pillows and a blanket here."

"Yay!" Lee cheered.

That night…

Lee was already asleep on a futon beside the couple's bed.

"Could you explain to me why are we leaving the day after tomorrow and why not tomorrow?" Neji whispered to Tenten as they were both staring at the ceiling, "You told me you're going to expound it to me 'later'. Well, 'later' is right now, Tenten."

Tenten flicked on a bedside lamp and stood up, walking towards her luggage. She took out the map and the pencil. She turned off the lights and offered a hand to her husband, silently saying, "Come."

Neji took her hand and stood up, tailing behind her as they walked hand in hand towards the lounge area of their suite.

Tenten flicked on the dim lights and set the map on the table. The couple sat beside each other.

"So?" Neji said.

"The reason is…" Tenten sighed, "I'll be waiting until I get a response from Kashime on what to do."

"Kashime? So you found Sakura?"

"No, I did not." Tenten inhaled some air and told her husband, "Please promise me you're never gonna shout and you won't freak out on what I'm about to say, Neji."

He raised his eyebrow and nodded, "Go ahead."

"Sasuke kidnapped Sakura."

After a moment of silence…

"What!" Neji said in a loud whisper.

"You told me you weren't gonna freak out!" Tenten pouted.

"Okay, sorry for that, but… what a-and how? Do you even know that we're so going to be in trouble once the Hokage hears that Sakura is missing?" he answered, "And if we go back to Konoha only with Lee, what are we going to say to her if she asks us where's Sakura?"

"I… I don't know, Neji." She shook her head, "I just… sympathized with Kashime. I think she was planning to kill herself a while ago, it's a good thing I arrived."

"Let's get straight to the point." He calmed down, "Tell me the whole story why we're going to leave only the day after tomorrow."

Tenten sighed and began to tell the story.

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

Kashime broke down again and cried, "Sasuke… Sasuke and Sakura fought a battle a while ago… Sakura lost and… and… Sasuke took her away. I don't know where she is right now, I don't even know if she's all right but… It's my entire fault! I shouldn't have gambled with her life!"

Tenten just stared at the woman who was crying right now and thought, _"Sasuke kidnapped Sakura? It doesn't get any worse than that!"_

"I'm sure we can still save her." Tenten comforted, "And you could help out to correct yourself from the mistakes you made."

Kashime calmed down and asked, "Give me 2 days. On the day after tomorrow, I will give you an answer."

"2 days? What for?" Tenten replied.

"I'll give you an answer… I'll tell you what we can possibly do." Kashime told her, "I know the whereabouts of Sasuke He's in the cave at the foot of a mountain in a forest. I'll try my best to gather enough information if Sakura could possibly be with him… or somewhere else."

"Are you coming with us to Konoha?"

"I'm uncertain." Kashime replied, "Give me 2 days. That's all I ask."

"Consider it granted." Tenten nodded.

"We will meet on the day after tomorrow, right here in my house at 8:00 in the morning." Kashime spoke, "I think this is enough to cover up my sins."

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

"Now if you'll look at the map, Neji." Tenten continued, "You'll see that there's only one cave here that's located at the foot of a mountain in a forest. This has got to be his hiding place."

Tenten marked an 'X' on the drawing on the map in between a forest and a mountain.

"This is where we are right now." Tenten darkened the area where they were, "And we're just around 30 or 40 minutes away from the cave."

"Are you suggesting we should do a search and rescue mission?" Neji asked.

"One thing's for sure." Tenten confirmed, "No matter how bad Kashime was to Sakura, we certainly can't leave her alone. Sasuke can kill her."

_TBC…_


	30. Manning the Stations

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_ And here's my New Year's Gift! 2 Chapters! Weee!**

**_UPDATES!_ I just finished Chapter 39 and I'm going to start writing Chapter 40! But before that, I'll have to do grammar check and spell-check on Chapters 36 or 37-39.**

**ENJOY! HAPPY NEW YEAR!**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Are you suggesting we should do a search and rescue mission?" Neji asked.

"One thing's for sure." Tenten confirmed, "No matter how bad Kashime was to Sakura, we certainly can't leave her alone. Sasuke can kill her."

**(Chapter 30 – Manning the Stations)**

"Don't be in a hurry, Tenten. You said you trust Kashime." Neji said, furrowing his eyebrows.

"I'm not saying I don't trust her." Tenten countered, "I'm just saying we should help her out."

"In what way?" Neji slightly raised his whisper, "Get the two of us in danger again, and even take the life of Kashime which would lead Sasuke to kill Sakura completely?"

"We don't even know if Sakura's dead or alive!"

"That's my point! We don't know if she's dead or alive, so why are we going to set forth more problems?" Neji pointed out, "Look Tenten, I'm sorry for being rude but I want you to understand that I really appreciate that you do your best to get Sakura back in this mission."

"I just don't want to worry and disappoint the Hokage." Tenten replied.

"I wouldn't want her to be like that either." Neji sighed, "Listen, if we do what you're suggesting, there's a 50:50 chance that we would fail or we would succeed."

Neji just caught his wife's attention and continued, "The good part is that we'll be able to help Kashime in **her** mission. If Sasuke would attack, it would be 3 against one, and he might even lose to the 3 of us – Kashime, being the apprentice of the Mizukage, you, being the Weapons Mistress of Konoha and I, being a Hyuga. He is an Uchiha, so, he has Sharingan, right? Let's not forget that his curse can make him more powerful and if that happens, it will be like the three of us fighting against 5 elite Anbus from Konoha. Remember, we already encountered Sasuke once, and we've been sitting in the hospital for days just because he overpowered us."

"You're right." Tenten nodded.

"Now for the bad part," Neji explained, "first, if we are going to team up with Kashime, I wouldn't be able to use any special Hyuga jutsus, genjutsus and ninjutsus."

"Why is that, Neji?" Tenten asked.

Neji showed his bandaged hands and said, "These, remember?"

"How many days have passed already?" Tenten asked.

"Hmm… 5, I suppose. It would take another 5 days before I could use them again. If I don't I won't be able to use them ever again for my whole life."

"Oh, that's really bad news."

"Anyway, another bad thing is that we don't know what Kashime is up to. According to the data that Sakura gave us before she left Konoha, Kashime was a former Mist elite Anbu head. She might ask help from the Mist Anbu Headquarters…" Neji continued, "Next, I fear if Sasuke already knew that we are within his presence, he can immediately kill Sakura as a warning that we shouldn't go near him. His Sharingan can also see if someone is near his area or if someone is approaching his area, just like my Byakugan."

"So I'll ask you this question, Neji." Tenten sat back on the couch, throwing the pencil on the table and sat with one leg on top of the other while her arms were crossed, "Should we or should we not go? You understand the future scenario, being a genius, so, what do you suggest?"

Neji smiled and copied the sitting position of his wife and turned his gaze to her, "I say we should leave Kashime to her own plan. Let's not meddle with it, or else situations could get worse."

"Alright then!" Tenten stood up and folded the map and placed the pencil in between a fold of the map, "Let's get some sleep now, Neji."

The next day…

Someone knocked on the door of Nishu's office. She was now, once again wearing that Ram Anbu mask again with the genuine hood-on-the-head fad.

"Come in." Nishu said.

The door opened and Nishu quickly stood up from her cozy chair and bowed, "Kashime-san, how may I help you?"

"Sit down, Nishu." Kashime sat on the couch in the office, "I've got something up in my sleeves and I want you to help me take it off."

Nishu sat and wondered, "What would that be, Kashime-san?"

"We'll try to save my cousin Sakura."

"What happened to her?" Nishu asked, "Have you not promised me that she will kill **that** criminal?"

"Yes, I have, but she failed. Her emotions got in the way." Kashime said apologetically, "But I am determined that you and your platoon would kill him."

"You're saying that my platoon and I should go for the kill?" Nishu harangued, "Are you insane? My platoon is composed of the 10 best elite Anbus and I, being the eleventh member, and you're asking the eleven of us to kill just one man? We could already kill hundreds of criminals with only my platoon!"

"You should consider Uchiha Sasuke's great strength and power," Kashime said, "He's not that of an easy opponent. One Uchiha Sasuke is already an equivalent of ten criminals who are locked in the dungeons below this building."

"Are you serious? Those who are locked in the dungeons below are so notorious that one of them takes 5 members of my platoon to get it done and lock him up!"

"See? Look at the math here, Nishu." Kashime clarified, "You said that it would take 5 members of your platoon to hold down 1 notorious criminal from the dungeon. But I said Uchiha Sasuke is equivalent to ten of them. So it means that your platoon is nothing to him because it would take 50 elite Anbus to finally hold him down."

Nishu calmed down, "You're right. He'll just overpower us. Therefore, I cannot accept this mission."

"Why not?"

"Would I risk ten of the best of the best ninjas of the Mist to kill just one man and then just get defeated?" Nishu whined, "That's insane! Without my platoon, there'll be more chaos in the Mist!"

"Okay then." Kashime stood up, "Thanks for nothing, Nishu."

"Wait, Kashime-san!" Nishu stood up but it was all too late – Kashime had already left.

"She and her ego." Nishu shook her head, "What she's asking for is just too much."

Kashime went to the elite Anbu section and looked at the busy Anbus studying files of some criminals.

"Ah, the great Kashime-sama." An elite Anbu with the mask of a Tiger bowed, "What makes you drop by here?"

"Shio, gather ten of the best elite Anbus you have here." Kashime whispered to him.

Shio nodded, "The platoon of Nishu-sama?"

"No." Kashime smiled, "I'd love to have **your** platoon help me out with my mission."

_TBC…_


	31. Cataracts Thunder

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_AUTHOR'S NOTE:_ So, starting from this chapter (until Chapter 33) you will know how Kashime had a hard time growing up and learning under the Mizukage ALONE. The death of her teammate and the departure of her other teammate pushed her to the extent that she will have to risk it all in order to achieve something she never believed to have achieved. In the previous chapters, you may have hated her but in these chapters you will know how much she suffered, much like how Sakura suffered because of loving Sasuke. So, without any further ado…**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Ah, the great Kashime-sama." An elite Anbu with the mask of a Tiger bowed, "What makes you drop by here?"

"Shio, gather ten of the best elite Anbus you have here." Kashime whispered to him.

Shio nodded, "The platoon of Nishu-sama?"

"No." Kashime smiled, "I'd love to have **your** platoon help me out with my mission."

**(Chapter 31 – Cataracts Thunder)**

"You never changed at all, have you, Kashime-sama?" Shio smiled underneath his mask.

"Damn it, Shio, you we've known each other since we were kids so stop calling me 'Kashime-sama'." A vein popped out of Kashime's temple.

Shio chuckled, "Even when you were the head of this sector, you always chose my platoon, why is that?"

"Hmm… I don't know, maybe because brainstorming a lot of which platoon to choose from is a waste of time. And maybe because someone who's even questioning my request and even standing beside me is starting to tick me off." Kashime showed her infamous deadly glare at Shio.

He panicked, "Okay! I'm gonna gather them right now!"

"Great! Tell them to meet me near that old hut in the north forest quickly. I'll be waiting." Kashime turned on her heel and added, "Move now, Shio."

Around 10 minutes later…

"We're here just like you said, Kashime." Shio bowed before Kashime and behind him were 10 elite Anbus also bowing before Kashime.

"Great. I'm sure you heard about Uchiha Sasuke, the man who killed a lot of elite Anbus recently."

"Yes, we have heard about him." Shio replied, "What about him?"

"Well, he is holding my cousin hostage right now." Kashime told them, "And I need to save her with the help of you guys. My cousin is Haruno Sakura, the apprentice of the Hokage."

Then, whispers started to reach Kashime's ear.

"Silence! Now that you know who are we trying to save, you should know the dangers of this man and how strong he must be." She continued, "Sasuke's hideout is the cave at the foot of the mountain in this forest. There's a great possibility that he also took Sakura there."

"And what do you want us to do? Scramble on the area?" Shio asked.

"No." Kashime replied, "I want you to be on the closest trees near the cave, we'll surround the cave. I'll throw a kunai first and if Sasuke goes out, I'll attack him first and then Shio should attack next, and then the remaining should follow. The eleven of you should attack him; keep him busy, while I try to find Sakura in the cave."

"And none of you moves until I say so!" Kashime added, "Shio should be on a tree next to me, confirming my orders."

Shio swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, "As you wish, Kashime. Anbu squad, you heard her!"

"Now, let's move out!" Kashime yelled and she leapt from tree to tree and everyone followed, and off they went towards the cave.

Shio was tailing Kashime, making sure that if she releases any orders, he will specify this to the whole squad.

"_I wonder how and I wonder why…"_ Shio thought as he stared at the back of Kashime, _"…we've gone through the wrong path when it seems so right."_

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

"Shio! Hey Shio!" a 7-year-old Kashime called out as she was walking around the oak plantations.

"Shio stop hiding already! You won!" she echoed through the oaks.

Then, Shio leapt off a tree and landed in front of Kashime.

"And what does Miss Know-it-All want from me?" Shio smirked.

Mayonima Shio – he was tall and handsome: he had dark blue eyes, slightly spiked black hair and he had a porcelain white skin. He was also a few months older than Kashime.

"Hmph! What do I want? I want you to go home and finish your homework! Your nanny has been knocking on the door of Mom's house and it's driving me nuts! And else, those kids whom you played with a while ago, they said they couldn't find you and hide-and-seek is already over!" Kashime slightly pushed away Shio.

"… I don't want to go home. And else… it's not a home anymore; it's just a house, not a home." Shio replied sadly as Kashime walked him home.

She sighed, "Shio, please stop it. It's been 2 years already!"

"How about you, don't you get fed up being brought back in forth in 2 houses?"

"My Mom and Dad may have divorced, but I'm still their little angel!" she bubbly replied, "I feel safe in Mom's house but I feel safer in Dad's presence."

"Round face." Shio teased.

"Chicken head."

"Miss Know-it-All!"

"Mister I'm-so-Good-at-Ninjutsu!"

"Anyway, so I heard that the Mizukage chose 12 students from the academy. You're included, right?" Shio smiled.

"Yeah, so?" Kashime pouted, "I'm not going to get into the final team anyway. All of my contenders are so good! And the Mizukage likes someone who's good in Ninjutsu, and I'm not."

"… I could teach you!" he smiled as the two stopped at the doorstep of the Mayonima mansion.

"Really?" Kashime's eyes sparkled with joy.

"Yeah, really." Shio had his right pinky finger up and intertwined it with Kashime's left pinky finger, "Because we're friends forever."

7 years later…

"Haruno Kashime." The Mizukage called.

14-year-old Kashime bowed before the Mizukage in his office and replied, "Yes, Mizukage-sama?"

"You know, I'm very proud of you, being my student. Now you're a chuunin…" the Mizukage paused, "And I'm sending you out on your first mission."

"Yes, Sir!" she accepted.

"You alone, should bring back to this village, Mayonima Shio, your teammate. He's a chuunin, and I suppose you know by now what had happened." Mizukage said, "He's off to the Sound, trying to follow Orochimaru."

"_The curse on his left shoulder…"_ Kashime thought, _"Goodness gracious, no, please no… Don't let him come to that monster…"_

"It's dangerous." Mizukage stood up, "But Kashime, I know how close you were to Shio. You were the only person he'd talk to the most often… You were childhood friends, even selected him as your teammate. Kashime, none of us can convince him to come back, but we sure do agree to the thought that **you** might be the one, the only one, to bring him back."

"Through your words, try to convince him." Mizukage continued, "Maximum tolerance first, but then again, if he poses as a threat to your life, then, you should use force to get him back here."

"Sir, you already said it's dangerous, but can I not have at least a jounin and 4 other chuunins to help me out?" Kashime asked.

"The jounins are scattered all over the Mist to help out the people who suffered from the war. The Anbus are also trying to put up at least a temporary wall, while the civilians that I hired are trying to rebuild the damaged wall. The chuunins are out to deliver relief goods all over the region and the remaining others are in conference. We are now a damaged land, Kashime. You were the only one we could find good enough to do this mission alone."

"Also, the damage inflicted by the Kaguya Clan to Kirigakure is still being remedied by many of our ninjas." Mizukage added, "You do know the aftermath and the bloody massacres done by those people, right?"

Kashime bit her lower lip and replied, "Yes, Sir!"

"Go and do your mission, now!" Mizukage dismissed.

Kashime, in a split second, disappeared.

After a few hours…

"Damn it Shio, you idiot!" Kashime cursed her tears falling down her cheeks while she was leaping from tree to tree, "I can't believe you can do such a thing! Why would you follow a monster like **him**?"

It was true that she was the only one he was friends with. He just can't seem to trust other people. He would never hurt her; the fact that he protects and will always protect her from any harm was the evidence. But she… Haruno Kashime, the rookie of her time, is in love with this Mayonima Shio. Not only was he tall, handsome and smart, she liked him because they have a lot of things in common and still have a lot of things to differ with.

She, however, knew that a certain man named Orochimaru had been visiting Shio for quite a while now, and gave him a bite on his left shoulder, getting a cursed seal from that monster. Kashime always knew… Shio wanted to surpass her. She was confused why, she wanted an answer from him… and fast.

"Why are you following me?" a masculine voice rang through her ears.

Kashime stopped on her tracks and panted on that branch of a tree she's standing on, her cold sweat dripping down her face and her salty tears continuously pouring out from her eyes.

"I've sensed your aura from afar and I got irritated by it. Why are you following me?" the masculine voice repeated.

"Why does some good-for-nothing idiot like you have to ask such a stupid question?" Kashime asked wiping her tears, "Shio, stop this stupidity and let's go home."

"How many times do I have to tell you, I have **no** home!" Shio suddenly appeared in front of her, "My family is dead! They died in the war when I was a kid, how many times do I have to tell you that!"

"You're hurting me." Kashime replied.

Kashime's jade green eyes stared into his sapphire blue eyes.

Shio looked away and said, "Stop crying."

"I can't…" she just sat on the branch of the tree, hugging her legs close to her, "I can't do this mission…"

Shio just eyed her as she continued, "These tears, I want them to stop but they just keep on coming. This mission, it was given by Mizukage-sama… I know deep inside I don't want to do the mission but because I was entrusted to do so, I just accepted it. The Mist is getting weaker, most especially after the attack of the Sand, and we're trying to recover by now…"

"…Our teammate died during the war." Shio answered, "And I consider that as my weakness… I wasn't able to do my obligations as his teammate."

"Shio!" Kashime screamed, "Igatou died because it was his duty to drive away all the innocent women and children from the area! He was brave enough to protect them all… All their lives were spared for the price of one… You think it's easy for me to accept that Igatou died!"

"I'm searching for power." Shio said in between gnashed teeth, "I needed power… I promised to protect you… But I was too blind to realize that you're stronger than me and you were protecting me most of the times…"

"You're killing me." Kashime sobbed, "You're hurting me too much. You also promised that you'll never hurt me! Shio, let's stop this balderdash and go home!"

"I don't have a home-"

"You **have** a home!" she yelled, looking up at him, "My heart is your home… Shio… I love you… Don't leave me alone, please… If you do, I'll kill myself!"

She felt that he was leaving and she hurriedly stood up, bringing a kunai just near her chest, directly in front of her heart.

Shio stopped and told her, "Kashime, I'll be back, I promise. And when I come back, I'll be able to protect you."

"I'm sorry but when you come back… you'll never have a home to return to." Kashime plastered a sad smile on her face and stabbed herself with a kunai.

But before she did, Shio threw a shuriken on her hand, trying to stop her from committing suicide. But, it didn't. Sure, she didn't stab her heart but the kunai on her hand dug deep on her chest and even made a bad cut around 4 inches long above her heart. The shuriken he threw made a small wound on her shoulder, but it diverted the kunai's path, which was directly to her heart.

Her vision was now blank and she's now losing her balance. Instantly, she fell off the branch of the tree.

Shio's eyes widened, "No, Kashime!"

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

_TBC…_


	32. Her Soul Unfolds

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_ANSWERS TO CURRENT QUESTIONS/COMPLAINTS:_**

_**1. When are we gonna see some SasuSaku?**_

**The real encounter for Sasuke and Sakura will be somewhere in Chapters 40+. Starting from there until the end of the story, I will be filling it with SasuSaku. Don't be too hasty, those SasuSaku chapters wouldn't be possible without the previous chapters. And besides, I'm still writing Chapter 40, but I'm nearing the SasuSaku. In fact, I'm going to twist it with SaiSaku to make things more interesting. So, if you don't know Sai, start searching. If you don't like the chapters, then skip reading it and just come back when I update something that you would read or try to read… you will be missing a lot, though.**

_**2. Too much NejiTen**_

**Mind you, that's because this is the sequel of a NejiTen fic. If it wasn't for its prequel (A Curse to Kill), this wouldn't even be possible. It's natural for it to have a NejiTen start. But don't worry; the main focus of it all will be SasuSaku.**

_**3. Why'd you put up a story for your OC(s)?**_

**Hmm… Kashime (and Shio)'s story is just a side story. I made this story for all of you who can't wait for SasuSaku. Sure, it's not SasuSaku it's OCxOC but it is related to the SasuSaku side of things, is it not? I mean, the story, you can relate this to the actual story of Sakura. Have I not made an A/N in the previous chapter? You can skip these chapters and come back on Chapter 34. You won't be missing a lot anyway… except that part somewhere in the later chapters when the Mizukage talked about the team to Neji, Tenten and Lee (and Kashime) who are set forth to Konoha. But hey, that's the only thing that you can refer back to the story.**

_**4. How come Chapter 24 is the most interesting chapter recently?**_

**Of course it would be interesting. If you happen to know how to draw a story map, Chapter 24 is the highest peak or the climax (in this case, first climax or first peak). Now, there will be a second peak in the later chapters. I'll tell you what this chapter is when we go on with the story.**

**_5. I totally liked your fic somewhere in its chapters but now, my interest is decreasing._**

**Hey, I can't please everyone. I'm glad at least I did justice to my story and pleased some. I'm sorry if you're one of those who aren't pleased.**

**Now, if you have any more questions and/or complaints, you can post it in a review or PM me or email me. Really, a complaint is no biggie. You all have a right to complain, there's no rule in that says "no flames" and as you can see, I never mentioned that complaints, rants and flames are not accepted in this fic. In fact, they are very welcome. Now, you might be complaining on why I act this way: it's to prevent bigger perplexities and bigger rants. If you find my reaction to your complaints rather frank and disrespectful, then I apologize.**

**_AUTHOR'S MESSAGE TO READERS OF CHAPTER 31:_ Thanks for those who at least appreciated the side story. And for those who reviewed but didn't like it, well, thanks for the review. At least they reviewed.**

**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ Okay, so this is the second chapter of Kashime's life growing up and learning under the Mizukage, as the remaining member of the team. Expect that this would run up to Chapter 33. (DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU, IN FACT, I ALREADY INDICATED THAT CHAPTERS 31 – 33 WILL BE FOCUSING ON KASHIME'S LIFE IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER) But the Kiri Anbu "besiege" for Sasuke will be continued in Chapter 34. Like I said up there, it's okay if you skip these chapters, after all, it's just a side story. If you would skip these chapters, I guarantee you that you wouldn't miss out a lot. You'll just be missing a few things that will be included in the later chapters, but hey, better few than a lot.**

**HOO! Now that I've cleaned the garbage, let's continue with the story.**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"I'm sorry but when you come back… you'll never have a home to return to." Kashime plastered a sad smile on her face and stabbed herself with a kunai.

But before she did, Shio threw a shuriken on her hand, trying to stop her from committing suicide. But, it didn't. Sure, she didn't stab her heart but the kunai on her hand dug deep on her chest and even made a bad cut around 4 inches long above her heart. The shuriken he threw made a small wound on her shoulder, but it diverted the kunai's path, which was directly to her heart.

Her vision was now blank and she's now losing her balance. Instantly, she fell off the branch of the tree.

Shio's eyes widened, "No, Kashime!"

**(Chapter 32 – Her Soul Unfolds)**

When Kashime woke up, she realized that she was surrounded by medical ninjas, trying to close the wound on her chest.

"Where's… Where's Sh-Shio?" she stammered for she was just at a loss of strength.

"He brought you to us." A medic beside her answered, "Then, he left."

"You… didn't… chase… him…?"

"Enough. Do not speak anymore." The medic replied sternly, "…We did chase him… but he just got away… Sorry."

"…Shio… you bastard…" and at that, Kashime closed her eyes as the medical ninjas still try to close her wound.

4 years later…

18-year-old Kashime was walking over a bridge above calm water. It was foggy today; it rained a lot from the past few days now, no wonder that the aftermath would be a foggy landscape. She was now elite Anbu head, the highest position in the Anbu Headquarters. And like every elite Anbu head, she wears the mask of the Ram, a sign of wisdom, agility, speed, intelligence, aggressiveness, courage and justice.

"_It's been 4 years…"_ Kashime thought, _"It's been 4 years since I've said how I felt towards **him**… that insensitive jerk… I feel awfully stupid that I fell in love with such an idiot… a traitor… What will the people think about me if they learned that I, the elite Anbu head, fell in love with a teammate who's a traitor?"_

She leaned on the railings of the bridge and removed her mask. She sighed and removed the hood off her head. She pulled her long, wavy, orange hair out from the confinements of that Anbu coat she's wearing, and let it stay free on her back.

She hid her mask inside a pocket in her coat. She looked at the waters below and sighed, _"I'm glad that the walls are now repaired and reinforced with special jutsus. I'm glad that I also made that law that all foreigners must be interrogated and inspected before entering the Mist… It's all new to me; it was only a few months ago since I was assigned as the new elite Anbu head."_

"… _It's been also 4 years when Igatou died. That other foolish teammate of mine…"_ Kashime smiled and walked until she reached the marketplace. There, she stopped before a flower shop.

Kashime just smiled at the beauty of the set of daffodils in front of her that she also caressed its petals.

"Ah, they're beautiful, aren't they?" The shopkeeper, an old man, told Kashime, "They're freshly picked from our huge flower plantation! They just arrived this morning, do you want them?"

She smiled and said, "Yes Sir, these daffodils are indeed wonderful. I'd like to have a basket full of these."

"Visiting an old friend, perhaps?" said the old man who carefully set the daffodils in a beautifully woven basket.

"Indeed, I am." She replied as she watched the old man arrange the flowers.

"Ah, your friend must be glad that you brought this!" the old man told her as he handed her the basket, "Here you go, Miss."

"Thank you very much." She smiled as she gave the payment to the old man.

As she was about to leave, the old man said, "Wait! Your change!"

Kashime smiled, "Kind Sir, please keep the change."

A few minutes later…

Kashime knelt in front of a grave, the grave of her deceased teammate, Dagorii Igatou. She placed the basket of daffodils near the gravestone and lit up incense sticks with matches, both of which she bought from the marketplace after she bought the flowers earlier.

"It's been a while, Igatou. How are you?" she whispered, "Me? I'm fine; I think you already know what I've achieved, right? I think you also know what I've been thinking lately."

Of course, a decayed corpse from six feet under wouldn't talk back to her.

"I miss that loud mouth of yours. You always talk nonsense, you always tease Shio and me, you always brag about the achievements and the appraisals Mizukage-sama gave you…" Kashime wiped a tear falling down her face, "You know, if you're just here, then, you would be in the position I'm holding. I'm glad that when you boast about something, it's really **something**. Damn it, I think I got influenced by your balderdash talking back then."

She smiled, "Undoubtedly, I was only second to your smarts and to your skills. You're the strongest in the team and you always call Shio the weakest. Then the two of you would fight until both of you are exhausted from trash talking instead of fighting… Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win… How I wish we're still one team until now… Our friendships have been broken now… Your death caused the first chain to break and then… after your death… Shio became berserk… He followed that Orochimaru guy and then… Hell, why would I even know what and where he is now! I don't give a damn!"

She bit her lower lip and just sobbed as she clenched her fists, "Igatou, you were the only one who knew I loved Shio… And I've accepted your confession that you loved me and if ever Shio turns me down, I could always run to you…"

"If only you weren't dead, I'd run back to you, embrace you." Kashime hugged herself, "Now, all of these are gone! I locked myself in a cold and dark cellar, due to this sadness I feel… I've been longing for someone to catch me when I fall these 4 years… I've been waiting, waiting and waiting, screaming and longing… But all my hopes come to a waste… I know nothing can return to me anymore…"

"Igatou! Are you listening…?" Kashime loudly whispered, "I know you're gone but I know your soul is listening to mine right now… I want to remove the pain… But I can't… I still love Shio… And how I wish it wasn't true… I wish that all of these are just nightmares… I just want to wake up and see the both of you… I've been longing, waiting, crying out your names at night… Both you don't seem to listen, both of you won't come back to me and comfort me… You're both gone… Never to return again…"

Then, she just broke down and cried… her broken soul screaming in pain.

"I wish not to love Shio…" she continued as she wept on Igatou's grave, "I wish you were still alive… and if you were, I wished that I just loved you instead of him… because I know that if I loved you, everything in my world would be a better place… It's tormenting me, these nightmares are haunting me every damn day, but I came to realize that these nightmares are real… And I can never wake up from this…"

"Then why didn't you just say so?" a masculine voice rang through her ears.

"_That voice, that irritating and ghostly voice!"_ Kashime's eyes widened as her eyes widened, _"Igatou, please… say it isn't so! Igatou, come now and save me!"_

"I wonder why you always run to **him** instead of me when you're feeling down." The voice mocked, "Damn it, Kashime, the guy's already dead! He already appreciates that you graced his grave with incense and flowers! Now stop disturbing his peaceful sleep! And here I thought you're so smart."

That ever-so-mocking voice! Could it be?

Then Kashime heard footsteps approaching her. She couldn't move! It's like she was glued to her awkward position on Igatou's grave right there.

"And here I thought you're so strong that not even a scratch would damage your body and your soul." The voice mocked, "But before I left, you were hanging on for dear life and now that I'm back, here you are, crying your insides out!"

"Shio…?" she whispered.

"Hello Kashime, I'm back! How have you been?" Shio smirked.

The man she loved was back. Did Igatou's soul haunted Shio to return to Kashime?

_TBC…_


	33. Eternal Promise

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"I wonder why you always run to **him** instead of me when you're feeling down." The voice mocked, "Damn it, Kashime, the guy's already dead! He already appreciates that you graced his grave with incense and flowers! Now stop disturbing his peaceful sleep! And here I thought you're so smart."

That ever-so-mocking voice! Could it be?

Then Kashime heard footsteps approaching her. She couldn't move! It's like she was glued to her awkward position on Igatou's grave right there.

"And here I thought you're so strong that not even a scratch would damage your body and your soul." The voice mocked, "But before I left, you were hanging on for dear life and now that I'm back, here you are, crying your insides out!"

"Shio…?" she whispered.

"Hello Kashime, I'm back! How have you been?" Shio smirked.

The man she loved was back. Did Igatou's soul haunted Shio to return to Kashime?

**(Chapter 33 – Eternal Promise)**

Kashime couldn't speak. Shio have returned to the Mist! She immediately wiped her tears and replied, "That's none of your business."

She tucked her orange hair back into her coat and stood up.

"Hey." Shio said, "I know."

Kashime placed the hood of the Anbu coat on her head and reached for her mask, "You know nothing."

"I'm sorry." Shio tailed her as she wore the mask of the Ram.

"Sorry? That's it?" Kashime chuckled, "Who are you kidding? After all those tears I cried for you, sorry and that's it?"

Kashime quickly ran but in a split second, Shio was in front of her. He held her shoulders and stared into the eyes inside the mask, they were watering again.

Shio was more handsome than ever and gained more height, not to mention more speed and more agility. He was stronger now.

"Get out of my way!" Kashime screamed, "It's over for us now!"

"I promised you, right?" Shio tried to restrain his best friend, "I promised you that I would return! And now, I did. I'm much more powerful now, perhaps stronger than you-"

"I don't care if you're stronger than me!" she shot back, "I would've appreciated that if you didn't follow Orochimaru! You sick piece of shit!"

Kashime's mask fell off due to her constant shaking, trying to get out of Shio's firm hold. This revealed the face of a crying woman, and to Shio, it was just painful to see her cry.

"You're hurting me." Shio told her, "I had hurt you but you're hurting me now. A little payback?"

"Damn right, you are!" she harangued, "Now get your dirty hands off of me!"

"You think I didn't think of you while I was away?"

"Why would you? I'm nothing to you anyway!"

"Just let me explain!"

"No!" she stubbornly rejected him, "No, no, no, no and NO-"

Her eyes widened as Shio pressed his lips against hers, taking away her first kiss. She pounded her fists on his chest, tried to push him away and tried to wiggle out of his hold. Instead, Shio slid his arms on her back and pulled her closer.

She still pounded her fists on his broad shoulders but it was no use. She tried to scream for help but her voice was being absorbed by Shio's kiss. Losing her strength, she calmed down but was still crying.

Shio broke the kiss and tried to catch his breath. He was blushing a bit but he managed to say, "Finally… You calmed down!"

With his hands, he wiped away all the tears on her face and sighed; "Now that's much better!"

"Now, what do you want?" Kashime said in a sad tone.

"I want our friendship back!" Shio smiled, "First, I didn't follow Orochimaru for power, and instead, I spent my 4 years in a faraway mountain and trained with a skilled hermit there. This hermit gave me a cure and the curse that Orochimaru gave me had gone away! Second, I always thought of you almost every second, every minute, every hour, everyday, every week, every month and every year! Third, I always paid tribute to Igatou up in the summit of that mountain. Fourth, I came back because I left you a promise and now I fulfilled that promise and finally, fifth, I… I… I, uh… I… I…"

"You what!" Kashime scolded, getting more and more infuriated.

"Iloveyoutoo!" Shio quickly said that Kashime didn't understand a thing.

"I'm sorry I don't speak idiot language, so kindly repeat what you said." She annoyingly replied.

Shio gathered his pieces together and took a deep breath. His blue eyes searched into her green eyes and repeated, "I said, 'I love you, too'."

She opened her mouth to say something but no words came out – she was too dumbfounded.

Shio was blushing furiously and tried to add a sense of humor to the silence. He closed Kashime's open mouth with his right hand: bringing her lips together, to close it.

He chuckled, "If you can't say anything, just close your mouth. A fly might come in and give birth to butterflies in your stomach."

A smile tugged at her lips and he was delighted to see that. But what came flying next was her right fist and it landed hard on Shio's cheek.

"You insensitive bastard!" Kashime scolded with a smile and pounded her fists on his chest, "Bastard, bastard, bastard!"

"Ouch! Stop that, it hurts!" Shio pretended to be hurting and put up his pinky finger, "So, friends?"

Kashime smiled and intertwined her pinky finger with his and shook their hands twice, "Friends."

"Beat that, can I court you?" Shio asked with a sheepish grin.

"In your dreams!" Kashime stuck her tongue out as she walked away.

Shio picked up her mask, which she forgot to pick up and tailed her, "Aw, c'mon! Please!"

A year later…

"I can't do it anymore." 19-year-old Kashime told her boyfriend, Shio as they sat on a bench in the park, "Let's break up now."

"What? Why?" Shio asked, wondering why it was all so sudden.

"Shio, I'm the elite Anbu head! I can't simultaneously handle our relationship and my obligations as the head! I'm having difficulties and what's worse is that I can't help but think of you because you're now an Anbu as well!"

Shio held Kashime's hands, "I can wait-"

"No, it's history. We have to call it quits…" Kashime sighed as she looked on her lap.

Then, a sight of a familiar pinky finger appeared before her, and so, Shio said: "But can we be friends, at least?"

Kashime bit his pinky and said in between, "Why not?"

"Eew… Gross… Yuck…" Shio whined as he withdrew his pinky from her teeth.

Kashime suddenly hugged him and cried, "I'm sorry, Shio. But thank you… for everything… I'm glad you're back."

"Even if we can't have our relationship back anymore… I'll protect you, from all harm…" Shio whispered in Kashime's ear, "And that's an eternal promise."

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

Everyone was now sitting on a tree just near the cave, which is the hideout of the Uchiha prodigy.

Kashime was standing still on a tree nearest the cave. She looked at Shio who just woke up from his reminiscing, standing still on the tree next to Kashime's. Kashime now had shurikens in between her right hand's fingers, ready to aim. She raised an eyebrow at Shio, a sign if she's good to go. He nodded, giving a thumb up.

… But there's more to that. Kashime's eyes had a glimpse of those worried blue orbs inside that mask. She shook off the thought and threw the shurikens at the foot of the cave.

No one came out.

The team waited for a while but still, no one came out. Kashime eyed Shio and he just shrugged his shoulders, not knowing why no one came out.

"_Has he transferred to a new hiding place?"_ Kashime thought as she leapt off the ground and approached the entrance of the cave. She knelt down and picked up a shuriken from the ground.

She looked inside the cave and saw a pair of red glowing red eyes dashed with black glaring at her.

She was so in trouble.

"Kashime, watch out!" was all that she heard from behind.

Then, a net equipped with kunais was all that she saw from above, ready to capture her and kill her…

She closed her eyes and braced for impact but she just landed on the ground with weight on top of her. She heard porcelain breaking and warm droplets of liquid landing on her face. She opened her eyes and saw a broken Anbu mask beside her.

She looked up and saw a handsome, smiling but bloody Shio on top of her, stabbed with the kunais from the net.

"Shio!" her eyes widened at the sight of him bleeding, knowing that droplets of his blood landed on her beautiful face.

"Kashime, just like I promised…" Shio said in between breaths, "I'll protect you… forever, because I… I love you."

"SHIO, NO!" she screamed as he completely passed out on her.

_TBC…_


	34. In Pursuit

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ Anyway, I've been very busy recently with school, so I wasn't able to focus much on writing Homebound's Chapter 40. I'm still in there, but I'm starting to wrap it up and move on to Chapter 41! Anyway, as I've said earlier, there will be 2 climaxes or peaks: First one was _Chapter 24: Akatsuki no Kuruma_. Now, the second one is coming soon. I haven't written it yet, but it's an all-go. This will be somewhere in Chapter (42) 43 or 44, depends on my ideas and the bumps really. I like a bumpy road for this story, kinda twists everything in a 360 degree range! Hehehe, just kidding.**

**Anyway, the next climax will also be a songfic. The song that I will use is a Filipino song, actually, it's kind of a rock song, but it's really cool. The title is _Humanda Ka_ (Get Ready, in English) and it was performed by Sandwich. This is the official soundtrack from Tantra Online Philippines. If you would like to grab a copy, you can e-mail me. The next climax, please do tell me if I should just name the chapter _Humanda Ka_ or something else. I've been thinking it over a lot, lately. Thanks!**

**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ I'm so glad that (almost) everyone liked the story of Shio and Kashime! So… without any further ado…**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Kashime, watch out!" was all that she heard from behind.

Then, a net equipped with kunais was all that she saw from above, ready to capture her and kill her…

She closed her eyes and braced for impact but she just landed on the ground with weight on top of her. She heard porcelain breaking and warm droplets of liquid landing on her face. She opened her eyes and saw a broken Anbu mask beside her.

She looked up and saw a handsome, smiling but bloody Shio on top of her, stabbed with the kunais from the net.

"Shio!" her eyes widened at the sight of him bleeding, knowing that droplets of his blood landed on her beautiful face.

"Kashime, just like I promised…" Shio said in between breaths, "I'll protect you… forever, because I… I love you."

"SHIO, NO!" she screamed as he completely passed out on her.

**(Chapter 34 – In Pursuit)**

Tears gushed out from Kashime's eyes. Mayonima Shio, her childhood friend, her best friend, the man she loved, the man who loved her… He protectected her, and now, she doesn't even know if he's already dead or if he's still alive.

"Anbu Squad, get your medics in here!" Kashime released her orders while she was still under Shio and still in the net.

In an eleven-man Anbu platoon, we have: 1 platoon leader, 3 medics and 7 elite Anbus.

The three medics leapt down from the tree and hurried to Kashime, releasing the net from their leader. They carried the weight off Kashime, getting Shio to a safe area, far away from the cave.

Then, a kunai got out from the cave. Kashime immediately stood up and got a kunai from her pack and threw it towards the kunai hurled towards her. The two weapons fell down on the ground.

"3 Anbus, protect the medics while they heal your platoon leader. The remaining 4 should fight with me." Kashime replied.

"Medics…" she said in between gnashed teeth, "… Make sure you'll be able to heal Shio…"

After those words, 3 Anbus assumed their position in a triangle formation around the medics who are now removing the kunais from Shio's back. 4 Anbus, 2 on each side of Kashime, went on their crouching position with hands on the handles of their katanas.

"Get out of there, you terrible monster." Kashime threw a kunai into the cave, to a figure whose eyes are bloody red with those 3 comma-like figures in the eyes, spinning around madly, "What did you do to my cousin!"

She gnashed her teeth once more, remembering how Shio protected her.

"_Shio, don't die!"_ her insides screamed.

She was going to kill this man for Shio and take back Sakura for Konoha.

"I thought no one would come after her." Sasuke got out of the cave and smirked devilishly, "I'm glad at least you weaklings did."

Taking that as a sign that he would attack sooner or later, the Anbus beside Kashime, took out their swords from their sheaths and assumed the fighting stance while crouching.

"Where is she?" Kashime yelled, her eyes narrowing with anger.

"… Probably dead, probably alive…" Sasuke hissed, "… But you won't like her situation now… How pitiful!"

"You son of a bitch!" Kashime lunged at Sasuke with her kunais at both hands.

Sasuke simply evaded her dangerous fists armed with serious wedges. She tried to punch him, left and right but he just moved around, evading her every move. Angered enough, she accelerated the speed of her every punch, her moves becoming a blur.

Sasuke ducked but Kashime was agile enough to stop punching and crouch down. With her left leg, she supported herself and stretched the right leg and kicked Sasuke.

But nobody was there.

Maintaining her balance, she was able to stand up.

"You're really good." A spine-chilling voice echoed through her ears – Sasuke was standing behind her, "But I think you should die with your cousin."

"If I should die, I'll take you with me to hell!" exclaimed Kashime whose whole body turned into a huge ice crystal with deadly spikes made of ice all over it, giving Sasuke cuts on the face and on some parts of his body.

He moved back but he knew that the 4 Anbus behind him now have their swords pointed on his back.

Sasuke smirked, "I know you're just somewhere."

"You do?" the huge ice crystal turned around. And Kashime was still inside that giant ice!

Sasuke's eyes widened, _"She's still in there?"_

Then, he was surprised when somebody kicked his back – it was Kashime!

He looked at the person inside the ice crystal and it turned into water.

"_Mizu Bunshin?"_ he thought.

"You'll have to pay a price so expensive; your life wouldn't even be enough!" Kashime yelled as she threw venomous senbons at Sasuke. But Sasuke turned into a log – a log with an explosion seal on it.

"Everybody, get back!" Kashime warned as the seal glowed, immediately she performed hand seals, "Doton: Doryuheki!"

Kashime spewed out a great amount of mud and this solidified into a strong, rock wall. Strong enough to protect all the people she brought along from the explosion.

Feeling safe, Kashime sighed. But then, she felt like her feet are being pulled down. She looked down and saw Sasuke's hands on her feet, pulling her down to the ground.

She hurled a kunai on his left hand. It hit him alright, it was bleeding, but that didn't stop Sasuke from pulling Kashime down to the ground.

"_I can't perform any Suiton jutsus! There's no mist in the air and there's no nearby water here!"_ Kashime thought, panicking as her knees are now into the ground.

Closing her eyes, she clasped her hands together. Within no time, her whole body turned into liquid and became a puddle of water, getting absorbed by the soil. Of course, Sasuke had nothing more to pull.

Then, one Anbu stabbed the ground with a sword. Sasuke got up from the ground, dusting himself off, and then, he removed the kunai Kashime stabbed on his left hand… and even the sword stabbed on his back, He the kunai towards the Anbu who stabbed his back. Of course, he evaded the cheap attack.

"Anbu Squad! Scramble!" one of them said.

Then all 4 of them went on attacking Sasuke.

Sasuke punched one Anbu lunging with a sword at him and kicked another one. This one flew to the wall Kashime just made; this cracked and crumbled on him. He's dead.

While chaos was going on, water was gushing out from the roots of a tree near the cave. Then, this puddle of water began to take shape and flesh. Kashime panted, leaning her back on the trunk of that tree. Seeing the huge ice crystal she made earlier melting, she whispered, "Stupid, there's the water you've been looking for a while ago."

She noticed that the wall she made already crumbled and Sasuke was still busy with… 3 Anbus? Where was the other one? This, Kashime didn't know.

She ran into the cave, trying to find Sakura. It was too dark, she doesn't know if somebody was really in there. Desperate to find out, Kashime made hand seals and whispered, "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!"

Then, water from the melting ice crystal from outside entered the cave and there, it towered around 10 meters high. Knowing it will soon make impact, Kashime hid behind a rock. Then, the towering water intruded the cave like a tsunami. After the chaos, she heard someone coughing.

"Sakura?" Kashime got out from behind the rock, "Sakura?"

Kashime walked around a bit and saw someone soaking wet from the 'tsunami' she made.

There lay the pink-haired cousin she was looking for – her arms and feet tied up with ninja strings and her mouth gagged with a piece of cloth.

"Sakura!" Kashime ran to her injured cousin.

_TBC…_


	35. An Itch for the Cure

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I'm now in Chapter 41. I've been really busy this week so, there's not much time for me to write. Anyway, Chapter 43 or 44 might be the chapters for the second climax: Sakura's self-sacrifice. It would feature a Filipino song entitled _HUMANDA KA_ performed by Sandwich.**

**And since _Humanda Ka_ is very hard to find in the net (except for the lyrics, I guess), you can PM me if you want a copy. I'll just send the mp3 file over to your email. Or you can also include in your review that you would like a copy or so. Just state your email ad.**

**_Humanda Ka_ is the official soundtrack of Tantra Online Philippines, and I do not own it. And this song is so nice, I mean, not only the lyrics but also the flute and the guitars and the drums. ROCK RULEZ!**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

Kashime made hand seals and whispered, "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!"

Then, water from the melting ice crystal from outside entered the cave and there, it towered around 10 meters high. Knowing it will soon make impact, Kashime hid behind a rock. Then, the towering water intruded the cave like a tsunami. After the chaos, she heard someone coughing.

"Sakura?" Kashime got out from behind the rock, "Sakura?"

Kashime walked around a bit and saw someone soaking wet from the 'tsunami' she made.

There lay the pink-haired cousin she was looking for – her arms and feet tied up with ninja strings and her mouth gagged with a piece of cloth.

"Sakura!" Kashime ran to her injured cousin.

**(Chapter 35 – An Itch for the Cure)**

With a kunai at hand, Kashime liberated Sakura from those strings tied tightly on her arms and wrists, and on her legs, ankles and feet. Kashime untied the knot of the cloth behind Sakura's head and liberated her from being gagged.

Sakura panted.

"Sakura, thank goodness you're alive!" Kashime hugged her cousin, tears rolling down her cheeks, "Let's get you back home! A kunoichi named Tenten said that she and her husband were sent by the Hokage to look for you! Please Sakura; let's get you home… Tomorrow, I'll meet up with Tenten and you're coming along. We'll get you back to Konoha, for good. No more will Sasuke torment you… no more, Sakura."

"Thank you for being here, Kashime." Sakura hugged back, "… But I'm not coming with you."

Kashime released Sakura from the hug, unbelieving what came out of Sakura's mouth, "What…?"

Sakura looked down, "I can remember everything… And I mean everything… And given a day, enough time to think about it, I finally realized… I still love him, no matter how evil he is right now."

Sakura made hand seals and a green chakra glowed on her hand and this, she placed on her chest, and every wound on her body was closing up.

Kashime shook her head and placed her hands on Sakura's shoulders, "Sakura! What has he done to you? Did he use a jutsu on you? Come on, let's go home!"

"No, Kashime, I'm sane and I'm myself. This is the real me." Sakura looked at Kashime straight in the eye, "I want **him** to go back to Konoha. I can die here and rot… But before I do, Kashime, I want **you** to go with Tenten and Neji on their way back to Konoha tomorrow."

"What? Why aren't you coming?" Kashime shook her cousin, trying to get an answer.

"I love Sasuke." Sakura cried tears full of sadness, "I love him so much that seeing him like that is painful."

Sakura looked outside and indeed saw Sasuke fighting off 3 Anbus. His curse seal has reached stage 2.

"I want to release him from that pain. But I don't have the cure with me." Sakura continued, "I have it back in Konoha. Whenever I get a free time after a session with Tsunade-sama, I go in an office I built near the evacuation area in a mountain where the first 4 Hokages' faces are carved. I go there, and through these years, I've remembered everything about Sasuke… especially that time, when the curse controlled him. I completed a jutsu to liberate him from that curse, but I left it in that office. Now Kashime, I want you to go to Konoha, go in my office and search for a scroll wrapped in a black silk cloth."

"No, Sakura, you're going home-"

"The office is at the foot of the mountain I mentioned. You will find a tree with a huge drawing of the Konoha symbol on its trunk on your way to the mountain. Once you find that, go straight until you find another one. And when you find this, enter the small forest. Go straight until you find a big boulder with an 'x' mark. You'll find this at the foot of the mountain. Go behind the boulder and perform the dispel genjutsu. Then, a door just on the ground will appear. Go inside." Sakura instructed, "Don't worry, whenever you close the door of my office, the genjutsu will be activated again. But you can open the door from the inside. You can only open it from the outside after you've done the dispel genjutsu. Kashime, you'll find yourself in a hall with a desk and chair. Beside these are scrolls. In these scrolls, you'll find one wrapped in a black silk cloth."

Kashime looked out and saw that 6 Anbus are already fighting Sasuke, make that 9 – even medics are now fighting him. Shio was now resting under a tree, like nothing happened to him.

Kashime turned her gaze at Sakura who was looking at Sasuke fight, she sighed and closed her eyes, "That scroll… Get it and get out of the office and out of Konoha. Return here to find me and give me that scroll. Please promise me you'll do this. Please be safe, Kashime."

Kashime's eyes watered, "I'm sorry Sakura… but you need to go home now."

Kashime got a senbon from her right sleeve and inserted this on Sakura's upper spine. Since her eyes were closed, Sakura didn't know that Kashime just inserted a senbon with a sleeping drug in her skin. Immediately, she fell asleep.

Kashime removed the senbon and lifted Sakura on her shoulder. She leapt from tree to tree and called out the squad, "Medics, carry Shio with you. Anbu team, we've got what we're here for! LET'S GO! HURRY!"

Immediately, the 3 medics lifted Shio and tailed Kashime, followed by the 6 Anbus, who are trying to fend off Sasuke with kunais and shurikens… he was obviously following them.

He performed hand seals and Kashime was watching him do it. With one hand, she performed hand seals as well.

"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke exclaimed as fireballs are barraged for the team.

"Suiton: Suikodan no Jutsu!" Kashime exclaimed as water balls met up with the fireballs and extinguished them.

"Team! Watch your back will you! Don't be reckless!" the irritated Kashime said as she was nearing the exit of the forest.

"_Just a bit more!"_ Kashime thought, seeing that she's just about half a kilometer away from the opening.

"Kashime-sama!" the Anbus called, "The criminal… he's not behind us anymore!"

Kashime's eyes narrowed as she looked back, and indeed, Sasuke was nowhere in sight. Slowly, she turned her head in front and was met up with a strong uppercut and a right hook to the face.

She flew to a tree, releasing Sakura from her grip.

Immediately, even if her body needs a bit of rest from the impact, she stood up and performed hand seals as Sasuke lifted Sakura on his shoulder and headed back, "Suiton: Suiryodan no Jutsu!"

A water dragon immediately tailed Sasuke, but then, due to the shortage of water from a stream nearby, the dragon collapsed into droplets of water. Sasuke was already at a distance.

Kashime looked at the Anbu squad… they were all wounded and exhausted. Even she, was exhausted. They could no longer have enough strength to chase Sasuke and even attack him to get Sakura back.

"_Now Kashime, I want you to go to Konoha, go in my office and search for a scroll wrapped in a black silk cloth."_ Sakura's words rang through her ears.

Kashime closed her eyes and said, "Team, let's go. Let's not follow him anymore… it's hopeless."

_TBC…_


	36. Doing the Will

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ Just finished Chapter 42, finished editing Chapters 40, 41 and 42 and I'm gonna start writing Chapter 43. Chapter 43 onwards will be the initial start of the SASUSAKU part. Chapter 44 will be the second climax, entitled, Unstoppable. Let me give you a little teaser: Sakura decides to finish off Sasuke's pain and misery and gets herself in danger.**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Suiton: Suiryodan no Jutsu!"

A water dragon immediately tailed Sasuke, but then, due to the shortage of water from a stream nearby, the dragon collapsed into droplets of water. Sasuke was already at a distance.

Kashime looked at the Anbu squad… they were all wounded and exhausted. Even she, was exhausted. They could no longer have enough strength to chase Sasuke and even attack him to get Sakura back.

"_Now Kashime, I want you to go to Konoha, go in my office and search for a scroll wrapped in a black silk cloth."_ Sakura's words rang through her ears.

Kashime closed her eyes and said, "Team, let's go. Let's not follow him anymore… it's hopeless."

**(Chapter 36 – Doing the Will)**

It was nighttime. Kashime sat beside the bandaged Shio in a hospital room. She was crying. She was so close to bringing Sakura back to Konoha… but all her hopes failed: injuring her best friend and killing one more elite Anbu, Sasuke… that man is invincible.

Kashime had apologized to the team… for almost killing their platoon leader and for one individual who died in the fight with Sasuke. They lost what they came there for. It seemed like all those sacrifices, all the energy they used…. were all so useless because Sasuke had Sakura back in captivity again. They were so close… They already had Sakura with them but Sasuke was just too hard for them to handle.

Then, a hand wiped Kashime's tears away. She looked to see who the owner was and there, she saw Shio, awake and smiling at her.

"Shio…?" she muttered.

"Don't cry." Shio lifted Kashime's chin up, "It hurts me a lot to see you crying… I guess… by the looks of it, we failed the mission, huh?"

Kashime bit her lips and said, "… I'm going to Konoha tomorrow."

Shio's eyes widened, "Why?"

"If I can't return Sakura to her home, than I'll just do what she wants me to do… To atone for my sins…" Kashime sighed, "Shio, we didn't retrieve Sakura and one member of your team died fighting Sasuke… and you… being the platoon leader, you're badly injured and-"

"It's okay." Shio gave her that comforting and loving smile, "It's not your fault."

Kashime clenched her fists and broke down, "No, it's not okay! It seems like my sins are getting bigger and bigger by the second! I just can't take it anymore, Shio!"

Shio's smile disappeared and replaced it with a look of pity for the woman weeping beside him.

He ran his left hand through her hair and said, "You'll get over this one, too. I know you will. If you managed to keep yourself altogether when Igatou died, then I guess, no, I **believe** that you will get through this."

The next day…

Tenten knocked on Kashime's door. It was the day that Neji, Lee and she, would leave Kirigakure and return to Konoha. She felt uneasy… would she or would she not see Sakura? She hoped that she would.

The door opened and Tenten smiled, "Good morning. So?"

Kashime carried a duffle bag with her and sighed, "I'm going with you. I… failed to retrieve Sakura."

Tenten wondered, "… But why are you going to Konoha?"

"I'm going to explain everything to the Hokage." Kashime denied her true intentions, "It would be better if I do it."

Tenten moved back a bit so that Kashime could go out. Kashime locked the door of her house and when they were walking, Tenten said, "But before we leave the Mist, we'll pay a visit to the Mizukage first."

Then, they arrived at the park. There, they saw Neji and Lee seated on the bench.

Lee had a disappointed look on his face, not seeing Sakura with Tenten. Neji and Tenten had told him the whole story yesterday.

"Guys, this is Haruno Kashime, Sakura's cousin." Tenten introduced, "Kashime, this is my husband, Hyuga Neji and the person who was with Sakura and the one who also saved her from the tragedy, Rock Lee."

Kashime smiled a bit and bowed, "Glad to meet you all."

"Excuse me, if you don't mind me asking," Neji got straight to the point, "where is Sakura?"

"I uh…" Kashime looked away, "I'll explain everything later on."

"Okay everyone," Tenten smiled, "let's just think about that later. We'll have to go to the Mizukage first."

Later on, in the Mizukage's office…

"Mizukage, here's our report of our mission here." Tenten presented the written report in a folder.

The Mizukage looked at Lee and read the contents of the folder.

"It seems like the people we've been looking for have survived the tragedy." Neji explained, "Here, we have Rock Lee."

The Mizukage looked at Kashime, who had a sad look upon her face.

"I see you have taken one of my students, why is that?" Mizukage said as gently as he could – Kashime, after all, was his best student… that is, after Igatou died.

"We have not taken her, Sir." Tenten replied, "She volunteered to be with us. And I guess she has all rights to do so because she is indeed, a first degree cousin of the other person we've been looking for-"

"And has not Haruno Sakura been found?" the Mizukage interrupted, looking at the copies of the records the couple took out from the hospital, "According to your evidences, she was hospitalized there."

Tenten didn't know what to reply, she turned her eyes to Neji who looked like he was thinking of what to say. Obviously, Lee can't speak up because he knows less of the situation.

Kashime stepped forward and bowed before her mentor, "Mizukage-sama, allow me to leave Kirigakure."

Then, she got a scroll from the inner pocket of her clothing and gave it to him. He opened the scroll and read on, _"Mizukage-sama, I, Haruno Kashime, am leaving Kirigakure for a special purpose. I shall talk to the Hokage regarding her missing student, Haruno Sakura, who is my first degree cousin. I will return once this task is over. I volunteered to do so, so as not to make matters worse. I have a full understanding of the situation, Sir. Signed, Haruno Kashime."_

The Mizukage noticed that there was a rolled paper folded into the thinnest form it can take up and tucked tightly inside the lock of the scroll. Mizukage knew that this is very secret and it might contain something that will save him from saying anything true but wrong.

He lowered the scroll, low enough to get the tucked letter without Neji, Tenten and Lee noticing. He unfolded the carefully rolled paper and read: _"Mizukage-sama, I'm going to Konoha to search for a cure. I think this cure is for that Orochimaru's curse seal. I know Shio had a curse seal from him before, but he also told me that a hermit cured him, even giving him another bottle, of which, he did not use because he was already out of the seal. According to what Shio told me, the bottle given to him indeed contained the cure but he had forgotten what the hermit told him to mix with the cure. The cure was extracted from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato. I think it's powerful enough to subdue the curse. I know that Shio gave it to you for safekeeping. I suggest that you give this to them. And one final note, Shio told me that the hermit died a month after he left him, due to his old age. I know, if he had been alive, then we could've asked him what other ingredient/s are needed to mix with and complete the cure."_

The Mizukage crumpled the letter and placed it in a drawer in his desk with the scroll. Kashime knew he had read that letter she made.

The Mizukage opened another drawer and there was a small vault in it. He had enough chakra on his hands and turned the dial of the vault to the right combinations – but chakra was needed so that he could pull the lid of that small vault open.

And when it did open, he got a small vial of liquid inside. He then handed it to Neji, "If you think I don't know anything about the situation; then be corrected – I have been informed that they found the mastermind behind the tragedy. And this man has a curse… Take this vial with you on your way back to Konoha and give it to the Hokage."

Neji and Tenten were utterly surprised by his sudden change of mood.

"What is this?" Neji asked as he took the vial from the Mizukage.

_TBC…_

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**_A/N:_ the second climax, Chapter 44 (Unstoppable) will be a songfic. The song will be _Humanda Ka_ performed by Sandwich. This is actually the official theme song for Tantra Online Philippines. It's a really nice song, kind of dark, rebel light rock. If you want a copy of this song, just include it in your review. If you're an unregistered member, just leave your email ad and I'll send it there. If you're registered, I'll just go to your page.**

**I will also send the lyrics to those who will want the copy of the song.**


	37. Mist's Successor

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I'm currently writing the second climax of the Homebound epic, which is Chapter 44 entitled _Unstoppable_. Yes, this will be the chapter wherein the song _Humanda Ka_ will be used. This chapter will be full of twists, full of angst – so be warned.**

**_SURPRISE!_ I made Chapter 43 SasuSaku-ish: although it's just an appetizer on what's about to come from then on. **

**_GOMENASAI!_ I'm sorry for updating quite late. I'm so busy with school right now. As you all know, I'm a member of the school paper, and I'm going to be one of the Senior Editors next school year (although I'm only a junior next year) so they've been training me a lot for the responsibility (GREAT responsibility) I'm about to take in next school year. I've been busy with the school paper, with school and hell, they're going to send me as a representative for the sophomores in the Elementary Orientation, and so I've been preparing my speech. So, I hope you all understand!**

**(From the last chapter…)**

And when it did open, he got a small vial of liquid inside. He then handed it to Neji, "If you think I don't know anything about the situation; then be corrected – I have been informed that they found the mastermind behind the tragedy. And this man has a curse… Take this vial with you on your way back to Konoha and give it to the Hokage."

Neji and Tenten were utterly surprised by his sudden change of mood.

"What is this?" Neji asked as he took the vial from the Mizukage.

**(Chapter 37 – Mist's Successor)**

"I had 3 students before. My favorite student and my best student, Igatou, died when he was 14. And so were left are Shio and Kashime, who have been friends ever since their childhood. Shio left the Mist after Igatou died, in search for power from Orochimaru. I dispatched Kashime to pursue him." Mizukage told them a story, "… but it seemed like Kashime, strong but only second to Igatou, returned to the village severely injured. But when the time came for Kashime to be the head of the Kiri Anbu Headquarters that was only then when Shio returned, miraculously, without the curse from Orochimaru. He had been haunting my student when he was a genin, perhaps because of how intellectual Shio was. But my student told me that he had not been with Orochimaru the years when he was gone, instead, he trained with a hermit in a faraway mountain. This hermit had formulated a cure for Orochimaru's curse seal. He had given Shio two vials of the dosage but he only drank one medication and the curse was gone. But the hermit told him to mix something with the medication. Shio did so and was cured from the curse. The second vial is the one you're holding, young man."

"I don't know what the other ingredient of completing the medication is, but the hermit was also a medic. Sadly, he's now dead and I wished I knew what this ingredient was. Shio said he had forgotten what the hermit told him to mix with the medication… Young man, I do hope that your Hokage knows what to mix it with. Tell her that that thing on your hand is extracted from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato. I'm hoping that your Hokage should know what the ingredients are to be mixed with an extract from that tree. She is, after all, a legendary medic. Can I trust you into that?" Mizukage continued.

"Of course, Mizukage." Neji bowed.

Mizukage sighed and added, "The distrust between our villages has dragged on long enough, and with that vial I propose truce between our villages."

"Young lady," Mizukage turned to Tenten, "I admire your intelligence and your determination to find answers to your questions. I didn't answer your questions to your expectations on our first meeting, and I thought that you were going to give up, knowing how great the damage was during the tragedy. You didn't give up and here you are before me, with you a survivor from the tragedy and also a representative of the other survivor, my student, Haruno Kashime. You have given me enough evidence that the other survivor was hospitalized here. Truly, I admire your capabilities, young lady. What is your name?"

Tenten blushed at the country leader's appraisal, "I am Hyuga Tenten, Sir."

"Ah, therefore, Hyuga Tenten of Konoha," Mizukage said, bowing to his and continued, "I'm sorry to have underestimated you."

Tenten panicked and replied, "No! I mean, no Mizukage, that's… that's fine, it's okay. Please, you don't have to apologize."

Mizukage eyed Neji and smiled, "Young man, I believe she is your wife, yes?"

"Yes Sir." Neji nodded.

"My, you are lucky." Mizukage praised, "You found a very wise kunoichi for you to love for a lifetime."

Neji smiled, "That's why I married her… because I know she's the right woman for me and I know… that she's enough to complete my life. And another reason was her intelligence."

Mizukage laughed, "Ah yes, you are indeed one lucky man."

"Uhm, but Sir!" Tenten looked at the Mizukage, "It was **his** idea for us to look in the hospital to look for Haruno Sakura's records. He is much more of a genius than I am… He is the Hyuga prodigy so…"

"So it was you who tried to unveil the missing tracks of the other person the two of you are looking for?" Mizukage eyed Neji.

Neji bowed and nodded, "Ah, yes Sir."

The Mizukage laughed again, "My, you are one dangerous couple. The two of you are highly intellectual individuals."

"Thank you." Neji replied.

"You should get going." Mizukage implied, "Your Hokage is waiting."

"And one more thing," the Mizukage smiled as he looked at his sad student, "I want you to take good care of Kashime... because I can't afford to lose another student. I'll be on the search for the other person you're looking for; because I know that this person is the Hokage's apprentice… the Hokage will feel bad if she lost her student. I would feel the same way if I lose Kashime… Do promise me her safety. Because upon her return, I will start teaching her the final lesson she'll ever learn from me: ruling the whole country of the Mist."

Tenten raised her right hand to shoulder level and said, "Mizukage, I promise that we will take care of your successor."

Kashime's eyes widened in shock and stammered… "I…? I'm the ch-chosen one?"

Mizukage smiled and nodded, "The council of elders and I have decided this a long time ago… After Igatou's death, we decided to turn you into a Mizukage after my regime. Perhaps on your return, you're already the Mizukage."

"Bu-But why? Why not Shio? He's your student, too!" Kashime questioned.

"You had an excellent reputation of being ex-leader of the Kiri Anbu, Kashime. We know you'll also have the excellent reputation of being one of the best Mizukages that had ever lived. Trust me on that." Mizukage gave her an assuring smile, a father-like smile, "I had learned that you have a far greater potential than Igatou. When everything is all right, you will take over."

At the pier outside Kirigakure…

"Wow! You were praised by the Mizukage!" Lee told Neji and Tenten with sparkling eyes.

"Eheh, well…" Tenten blushed, "I was rather surprised that he'll do that."

"He wasn't very kind to us in our first meeting with him." Neji implied.

"Mizukage-sama isn't very kind to interrogating ninjas from another country." Kashime tried to smile, "He's like that all the time."

The four were lined up in a queue boarding the ship that will take them back to Konoha.

"Didn't you have difficulty learning under him?" Lee asked Kashime.

Lee looked at the blue circle on the clothing of Kashime. Hmm, maybe they're just designs.

"I did." Kashime replied, "Because his favorite was Igatou… Shio and I felt like dirt in the team. We all felt miserable when he died. Shio was almost like a brother to Igatou, that's why when he died… he blamed himself for not being by the side of Igatou. But we all learned that Mizukage loved even the weak Shio. He was very worried when he ran away… and when I returned injured, I heard from his advisors that he almost became insane because he feared that I was going to die… because I was the only member left in his team."

"Oh, that's harsh." Lee commented.

When their tickets were surveyed by the authorities aboard the ship, they were escorted to their quarters.

Kashime entered a quarter and Tenten tailed her. Followed by Neji, until…

"Excuse me Sir." The lady who escorted them held Neji by the wrist, "You have a different quarter."

"B-But she's my wife!" Neji pointed to Tenten.

"I'm sorry Sir, but even if you are a couple, the four of you entered this ship together, the other two not being a couple or being related by either friendship or blood. So, as a rule implied on this ship, the four of you will be divided into 2, by gender. Girls will stay in one room and boys will stay in another." The lady explained.

"Aw… Don't worry Neji-**kun**; we'll still be together after this trip!" Tenten teased, giving him a peck on his cheek.

"Now that we've got a confirmation from your wife Sir, we have to go to your quarters, which is just right next to theirs!" the lady smiled as she pushed Neji and Lee into the next quarter, "Don't worry, you can always visit your wife! But know that we always have inspections for every quarter before sunset and make sure that everyone's in their own room. And then we'll lock the doors up!"

"This ship is so strict!" Neji whined.

Tenten laughed, "Neji! Just go by the rules!"

"You two are so sweet!" the lady commented, "Ma'am, your man is really craving to spend every second of each day with you, huh?"

Tenten blushed at that comment.

"We'll be arriving at the pier outside Konoha tomorrow, early in the afternoon." The lady informed, "Please enjoy the trip!"

When everything was settled down, Tenten and Kashime were left alone in the room. The ship has started moving.

Kashime was sitting on her bed, the side closest to the window and looked at the disappearing view of Kirigakure.

"You're going to be the leader of that country soon." Tenten broke the silence, "Isn't that great?"

"No, it isn't." Kashime replied, "I'm not going to take my office… not until I know that Sakura is safe in Konoha... And I will not take office if she dies, I swear that."

_TBC…_

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**Why did Kashime state that she will never ever take office if Sakura is harmed? The tradition of long ago is still alive in Haruno Kashime's blood, but the Haruno Superfamily has been long terminated. What is the meaning of the Haruno Blue Circle and the Haruno White Circle? What are they? Does the Haruno blood uphold a Bloodline Limit?**

**For the next chapter of Homebound! Leaking Out the Clan's Secrets**

"_**I have a duty to my family… The Haruno superfamily is a broken clan."**_

**- Haruno Kashime**

**_A/N:_ I just want to apologize to those who had asked me to view their stories. I wasn't able to check them out yet because I'm so busy with school. Anyway, we can still do remedy with that. Please tell me who you are again.**

**Also, the song _Humanda Ka_ is still available. Just include in your reviews if you want a copy of the song. I will also include the lyrics in the package. _Humanda Ka_ will be used in the second peak of Homebound, Chapter 44: Unstoppable.**

**Ja!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	38. Leaking Out the Clan's Secrets

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I finally finished Chapter 44! AND HELL, IS IT FULL OF ACTION! Hehehe, it's kinda like a Kashime VS Sasuke chappie with Sakura doing "something" to "release Sasuke's pain". Hmm, what could that be? Anyway, I'm currently writing Chapter 45 of Homebound.**

**And I do hope the questions I leave from the last chapter will be answered here. Kashime seems to have been hiding a secret about the whole clan of Haruno.**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

Kashime was sitting on her bed, the side closest to the window and looked at the disappearing view of Kirigakure.

"You're going to be the leader of that country soon." Tenten broke the silence, "Isn't that great?"

"No, it isn't." Kashime replied, "I'm not going to take my office… not until I know that Sakura is safe in Konoha... And I will not take office if she dies, I swear that."

**(Chapter 38 – Leaking out the Clan's Secrets)**

Tenten was rather disturbed than amused by Kashime's reply.

"You're willing to sacrifice what most ninjas in the Mist dream of?" Tenten asked.

"I have a duty to my family, Tenten." Kashime confirmed, "My father was very close to his brother, who is Sakura's father and even told me that I should protect his brother's daughter... because he knows that it was Sakura who's going to make our ancestors proud."

"_Oh, ancestors… Huh? An-an… The… what!"_ Tenten thought, _"Does the Haruno clan have a bloodline limit?"_

"…Do you have a bloodline limit?" Tenten questioned.

Kashime eyed her and sighed, "No, we don't. The Haruno superfamily is a broken clan. You'll find different Haruno clan members in different countries. But our ancestors were wise and powerful… until our clan became so massive that there was already distrust and misunderstandings. That was when our clan broke up and scattered throughout the world. I met different cousins of mine… Most of them are incredibly stupid, a disgrace to our clan's reputation of being intelligent. I guess that's a result of distrust… But my father was different."

"So… you don't have a bloodline limit, but rather a reputation to protect?"

"Right." Kashime explained, "My father was intelligent, very intelligent. He was one of the best shinobis the Mist had ever known… however, my mother didn't understand him and never appreciated the things he do for the town, so she divorced him. But I still prefer my father over my mother… Then I learned that he had a brother in the Leaf… And his brother had a daughter. His brother was far more intelligent than him, he told me, so undoubtedly, his daughter was incredibly smart. But when I met Sakura for the first time, I thought she was awfully stupid… Because I'll never accept that there's anyone in our blood who's smarter than me. I was always boasting that I was the Mizukage's student and that Sakura would have no chance of beating me."

"But?" Tenten smiled, "In every story, there's always a 'but'."

"But… I was wrong. Sakura was very intelligent indeed. She learned to speak at the age of 2… I learned to speak when I was 3. And else, she managed to keep her cool even if she's barraged by harsh comments from other people. I also experienced that but they didn't bring me down. But she… she was being affected by what people think and say about her… I pitied her and so I helped her. That was then when my father told me that Sakura's father… was only his half-brother. My father gave me a book of the Haruno genealogy and found out that Sakura's blood was superior: her grandmother was her grandfather's fourth degree cousin. I found out that her grandmother was also included in the family tree, but my grandmother wasn't. Meaning to say, Sakura and I have different grandmothers but the same grandfather. All the more reason to protect her, my father insisted."

"It sounds pretty much like the Hyuga Clan back in Konoha." Tenten smiled, "Most people in the Hyuga Clan marry their 3rd or 4th degree cousins to keep their bloodline limit… But my husband went over the rules and married an outsider like me. It's considered taboo but he proved everyone that I was acceptable to the clan. So now, I'm a part of the Branch family of the Hyuga Clan. There are two divisions of the Hyuga Clan: the Main family and the Branch family. The Branch family is tasked to protect the Main family."

"…Our family used to have that, too." Kashime replied, "The White Circle and the Blue Circle. The White Circle is the diplomatic and nobility class, and the Blue Circle are those who protect the White Circle. Until one time, the massive Haruno clan, which was originally from Konoha, had problems with the Blue Circle. And so, there it began… the exodus of the many Blue Circle members to the different countries of the world. I think only the White Circle remained in Konoha."

Tenten then remembered that symbol on Sakura's clothing when she was a genin… A white circle was on her back. Kashime's black clothing has a blue circle on the back.

Tenten spoke, "So… Sakura is a member of the White Circle and you are-"

"I'm of the Blue Circle." Kashime sighed, "Sakura's grandmother and grandfather are from the White Circle. My grandfather is from the White Circle but because he married someone outside of Konoha, my father became a Blue Circle member. But my uncle, born in Konoha with parents both from the White Circle, made him and his family members of the White Circle."

"I see." Tenten smiled, "What a sad story about the Haruno Clan."

"It may be a sad story…" Kashime managed to smile a bit, "But Sakura and I thought that it was a story with a happy ending. It's better for the whole clan to be this way."

"Why?"

"We don't like recognizing a lot of cousins." Kashime chuckled slightly, "We have hundreds, even thousands of them."

Then the room's door opened and in came Neji and Lee. Neji and Lee sat beside Tenten, she being in the middle of the two men, seated on her bed.

"So you said you were going to tell us your true intention about going to Konoha." Neji told Kashime.

Kashime stared at the clear-eyed man across her and sighed, "Now, truth be told… I… I ended up fighting Sasuke and I found Sakura yesterday."

"WHAT!" the trio replied.

"I found Sakura wounded, tied up and gagged. Of course, I removed her from being gagged and liberated her from those ninja strings. She used medical jutsu to heal herself. I… I tried to convince her to come with you to Konoha and leave Sasuke in Kirigakure... but she… she said that I have to go with you instead in search of a scroll. She would stay there and die rather than seeing Sasuke go insane and kill innocent people." Kashime explained.

"Scroll? What scroll?" Tenten asked.

"I consider this a mission – an S-rank mission to be in fact. You're asking me classified information." Kashime replied with slight hostility in her voice, "If I tell you, I have to kill you afterwards."

"But even the Mizukage doesn't know what you're doing!" Neji retorted, "How can you consider this an S-rank mission if the Mizukage didn't even know or tell you to do so!"

"I don't care how many times I have to die trying to hide the secret. This is the will of Sakura we're talking about! I made a promise to her, and to atone for my sins, I will do as she says." Kashime calmed down, "Forgive me if I cannot satisfy your hunting for answers, even if the answers are all in my hands. But please, don't tell anyone what I told you."

Neji spoke, "No, the Hokage has to hear-"

"Yes, we promise not to tell, even the Hokage wouldn't know." Tenten interrupted.

"Now why did you do that for?" Neji asked his wife.

"I trust in Kashime. We have to learn how to trust someone who's determined to do a will. We cannot stop her in any way, Neji." Tenten explained.

Neji finally understood and nodded, "Fine then. Just don't mess up this time."

Kashime smiled, "Thank you."

"Wait, how are we going to explain Sakura's situation?" Lee asked.

"Please leave that all to me." Kashime smirked, "I have it all planned."

_TBC…_

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superfamily – a massive family

**Kashime enters Konohagakure with Neji, Tenten and Lee. Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage seems to be glad with Neji and Tenten after safely bringing back home Rock Lee. However, it seems like Kashime's presence and words have enraged Tsunade. What did Kashime say to infuriate Tsunade?**

**Find out on the next chapter of Homebound: Classified Information**

"…_**As the Mizukage's student, I wasn't even strong enough to fend off against that demon."**_

**- Haruno Kashime**

"_**And what if I kill this future Mizukage right now!"**_

**- Tsunade**

**_A/N: _All that I have mentioned here about the Haruno Clan is my creation. It is fictional with regards to the Naruto series.**

**Humanda Ka is still available.**

**See y'all!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	39. Classified Information

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I just finished editing Chapters 43 – 46! Yes! I also finished Chapters 45 and 46 a few days after finishing Chapter 44! Anyway, Chapter 44 is VERY LONG. It's longer than Chapter 24, which is the first climax. Anyway, I'm starting to write Chapter 47.**

**_(SPOILER WARNING!) Be noted: _There will be a love triangle in Homebound! If you don't know Sai, well, better research about him! It will be somewhat Sasuke x Sakura x Sai. Oh, doesn't the story get any better!**

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**(Chapter 39 – Classified Information)**

The four of them finally arrived in Konoha. The whole town crowded around the gate where Neji, Tenten, Kashime and Lee entered. They cheered for the return of Lee and the ninja couple who retrieved him.

"Mrs. Hyuga Tenten, where's Miss Haruno Sakura?" a press person asked. This person is indeed a reporter from the Konoha Tribune staff. It was the daily newspaper for the civilians.

Tenten shook her head and smiled, "Please, not now."

In the Hokage's Office…

"Great to have you back, Neji and Tenten!" Tsunade had that big smile on her face and sighed, "Goodness, I thought the two of you were dead!"

"… Well, we're sorry for the delay." Tenten bowed her head, "Neji and I were hospitalized after an encounter with Uchiha Sasuke in the Mist."

"Hospitalized? Are you guys okay now?" Tsunade's eyes widened.

"Neji still needs 2 more days to get his hands into good condition." Tenten replied.

"Neji, come here and show me your hands." Tsunade signaled.

Neji nodded his head and went forward and showed his bandaged hands to Tsunade.

Using enough chakra on her hands, she cut the bandages in half on his hands. Then, she placed her palms over Neji's palms and a brighter green chakra emanated from Tsunade's hands and then it stopped.

She smiled, "No need for 2 more days, Neji. You can even use them right now!"

"Thank you, Hokage-sama." Neji bowed his head and returned to be beside Tenten.

"So, you found Lee." Tenten eyed Lee, "But where's Sakura?"

Neji and Tenten stared at each other.

"Hokage," Kashime went before Tsunade, "I am Haruno Kashime, a student of the Mizukage and the first cousin of Haruno Sakura. She was under my care the whole time she stayed there."

"And… where is she?" Tsunade's smile turned into a frown.

"She… she had been kidnapped by Uchiha Sasuke." Kashime said in a low tone.

Tsunade immediately stood up, infuriated and pounded her fists on the table, breaking it in half, due to her monstrous strength.

Kashime trembled in fear for a while but then, she gathered up all her pieces together and kept her head down, "Two days ago, I attempted a rescue mission. I tried to seek help from the best elite Kiri Anbu squad but their leader turned me down. Then, I sought help from Mayonima Shio, also a student of the Mizukage and an elite Kiri Anbu platoon leader. I asked him if it was okay if he and his squad would help me. He agreed. And when we were already in the hideout of Uchiha Sasuke, the Anbus fought against him. Shio was badly injured and one elite Anbu was killed."

"… And did you find her?" Tsunade asked, trying to calm down.

"… No." Kashime replied.

Neji, Tenten and Lee looked at each other and knew that Kashime lied. But her lies would be believable – she was going to be a Mizukage soon and she was Sakura's first cousin. The 3 knew she lied for a purpose, a purpose they don't even know. As she said, it was 'classified' information.

"That's it; I'm ordering an Anbu search party to go to the Mist right now!" Tsunade angrily replied, "This is the last straw, Uchiha! If he wants a fight, **FINE**, I'll give him one! I'm going to send out twenty elite Anbus to finish him off and tell us where he has taken my student!"

"Negative." Kashime bravely objected, "I wasn't able to protect Sakura, who's supposed to be safe under my hands… As the Mizukage's student, I wasn't even strong enough to fend off against that demon."

"And what are you suggesting!" Tsunade furiously yelled, "Damn it, I cared for Sakura like she was my daughter! I taught her all I knew! She was going to be my successor! How could you not take note of that! If I were to kill you, do you think the Mizukage would be happy?"

"Uh, Hokage-sama." Tenten interrupted, "On her return to the Mist, she will be on the way to being Mizukage. She was already chosen-"

"And what if I kill this future Mizukage right now!" Tsunade yelled once more. She was very, very angry.

"I will fight him, Hokage." Kashime eyed Tsunade, "Give me 2 days here in Konoha to gather information about Uchiha Sasuke. And then, I would journey back to the Mist, hunt him down, interrogate him about Sakura and kill him. If I can't kill him, I'll take him here in Konoha."

"If you fail, I'll go to Kirigakure and have your head off… I'll kill you myself, do you understand that?" Tsunade finally sat down, "If Sakura's dead, then I'll have you dead, too. GOT MY WORD?"

Kashime nodded, "Yes, Ma'am."

"If you don't mind, Hokage-sama." Neji went forward and presented a vial, "This is from the Mizukage. He said that this is a cure from Orochimaru's curse. He heard about Uchiha Sasuke and told us that one of his students also had the curse and was healed through this medication. He said that this is extracted from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato and that he would like to propose truce though this vial… And this medication needs to be mixed with the proper ingredient to heal someone from Orochimaru's curse."

"Truce, huh?" Tsunade took the vial and looked at the liquid inside, "Kashime, that's your name, right? When you return, tell your mentor that I'll only grant the truce that he wants if any of the following is done, **one**: return Sakura and Sasuke, him, being all tied up, **two**: you return Sakura and kill Sasuke, with his head to be returned to Konoha as proof of his death, **three**: if you can't return Sakura, I want Sasuke tied up and returned to Konoha and have you killed, your head to be sent here as proof of your death, or **four**: if you can't return Sakura, I want Sasuke's head and your head here in Konoha, as proof of your deaths. If Kirigakure couldn't do any of the given conditions, then, there will be no truce."

Kashime swallowed the lump in her throat and replied, "A-As you wish."

Tsunade opened a drawer from her broken desk and got a checkbook and a pen. Then, she started writing things down, and took out the piece of paper she had written on.

"Tenten," Tsunade handed the paper to her, "tell Shizune to buy me a new desk."

Tenten nodded and took the check as Tsunade started writing down something again on her clipboard. She took the check and gave it to Kashime, "Here, I can't do any good for you but this. You're allowed to stay in the elite suite of the Konoha Hotel for 3 nights and 2 days. I will pay all the expenses, just present that at the receiving desk."

"Thank you." Kashime took the check.

"All of you are dismissed. Hurry and get out of my office before I kill any of you." Tsunade said, trying to calm down.

The next day…

Kashime was on the road leading to the mountain wherein the first 4 Hokages' faces were carved.

She sighed and said, "I want to make this quick, Sakura. This ought to be right."

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**Kashime starts her mission in Konoha. Sakura wakes up only to find herself a captive once again by Uchiha Sasuke. A scroll clothed in black silk was not an easy find. For Kashime, her mission will never be over, not until Sakura goes back to Konoha. However, the scroll that Sakura requested was the only key to send Sakura back. Will she find it?**

**Next, Homebound Chapter 40: The Scroll Clothed in Black Silk**

"…_**Sakura's life is under Kashime's hands right now."**_

**- Hyuga Neji**

**_A/N:_ SasuSaku goodness is really coming close! Actually, Chapter 41 is somewhat hinting the start of SasuSaku! We're 4 chapters away from Chapter 44 – Unstoppable! Hang on to your seats! Review please and thank you!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	40. The Scroll Clothed in Black Silk

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ Still no progress in Chapter 47 due to my VERY busy schedule for the past week. I'll try to write it this week, if I have time. ARGH! STUPID LAST QUARTER! I HATE MY TEACHERS SO MUCH FOR MAKING US SUFFER HEAVY LOADS OF PROJECTS! I mean, for the past week, my mom has been scolding me why am I not yet asleep when it's 12:00 midnight and I have to wake up at 6:00 in the morning! I tell her, "Mom, go blame my teachers for making me suffer." ARGH! DAMN!**

"_I love him..."_ **Sakura's words in Kashime's thoughts.**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

Kashime was on the road leading to the mountain wherein the first 4 Hokages' faces were carved.

She sighed and said, "I want to make this quick, Sakura. This ought to be right."

**(Chapter 40 – The Scroll Clothed in Black Silk)**

Kashime walked and looked at every tree there was on the road.

"_The office is at the foot of the mountain I mentioned. You will find a tree with a huge drawing of the Konoha symbol on its trunk on your way to the mountain."_

The blue circle on the back of her clothes was visible under the sun, even if its background is black and some stray strands of her orange hair is covering some parts of it, you can easily say that that drawing on her back is a blue circle.

"Why did you choose this path anyway, Sakura? Why didn't you just come back here in Konoha?" Kashime murmured through gnashed teeth, "Why do you want to be with that bastard so much? He's already tormenting you! Destroying you slowly! Argh! I just don't get it!"

Meanwhile…

Sakura woke up and only to find out that she was tied up on a chair and gagged again. This time, she was in an abandoned warehouse in an isolated place, somewhere in Kirigakure.

She blinked a few times to get the sleep out of her eyes. If she only didn't have her hands tied up, she could have used them instead. She looked from side to side, trying to know what was surrounding her. Nothing but some dusty floor, a few old, used and empty boxes, some cobwebs on the ceiling – big and small, some bird's nests, a few broken windows, a big door locked up… and a sleeping Sasuke, seated on the floor, leaning on the wall.

She tried to move her fingers but she can't – she just remembered… Kashime injected a sleeping drug on her a few days ago. That was some powerful drug… Makes you sleep for 3 days and makes you a bit paralyzed when you wake up. If she wasn't mistaken, her medic knowledge says that it might have been mixed with a slight dosage of minor poison. If that's so, well, paralysis will wear off in a few minutes.

Right now, she had set her eyes on Sasuke. The curse had receded, and his face was still stoic, but somehow, it depicted pain. Sakura scanned his whole body – he was wounded. Those wounds are getting infected, 3 days without treatment is bad. Once again, her eyes are glued to Sasuke's sleeping face…

"_If only I hadn't met you… If only I hadn't liked you… If only I hadn't loved you… If only I hadn't retrieved my memory… Then, you wouldn't be suffering. I'll give up a million moments with you just to get you out of your misery. You've been suffering almost your whole life, Sasuke-kun… And yet you don't want me to take away the pain…"_ Sakura sighed as tears rolled down her cheeks, _"Kashime, you better do as I said and come back and find me… I need that scroll, terribly."_

Sakura closed her eyes, _"Sasuke-kun, if you don't want me to take away the misery from your life… then let me have it and I'll live with it. I'll sacrifice my own life, because I love you and I'll do anything and everything to push you out of your suffering."_

Back to Konoha…

Kashime's shins are aching and sweat is already dripping down her face. Walking under the scorching heat of the sun was annoying her and exhausting her.

"_Damn, where's that tree? I've been walking and walking and walking!"_ Kashime wiped the sweat off the tip of her chin using the back of her hand.

She looked left and right and finally smiled and jumped like an idiot. Hey, why not? She was alone on the road. She finally found the tree with the carved symbol of Konoha on it.

"_Once you find that, go straight until you find another one."_

"Damn it, I forgot about that one. Sheesh!" Kashime continued on walking, "I'll have to walk again to find that other tree!"

Meanwhile... In Tenten's mansion…

In the couple's bedroom, Mr. Hyuga Neji and his Mrs. Hyuga Tenten are fast asleep on their king-sized bed. The first one to wake up was Mrs. Hyuga, who had her long wavy hair down, instead of tucked up in two buns. Of course, she's going to sleep, not spar.

She sat up and yawned, covering her mouth with her left hand. Then, she stretched her two arms upward and rubbed the sleep off her eyes using her right hand.

Then, she fell back to bed and lay there for a while; she doesn't feel like standing up right now. She was thinking of something… or rather, someone.

Neji woke up and yawned.

"Good morning, Neji." Tenten pecked the cheek of her husband.

"Morning." Neji smiled at his wife.

"So, what are you planning for this day?" Tenten asked, "Hokage-sama did say that we can take this day off."

"I don't know what I'm going to look forward to or what I'm gonna do today." He stroked the cheeks of his betrothed, "All I want to do is to be with you. Hmm… Maybe a date?"

"Great!" Tenten smiled.

Then, there was silence.

"Neh, neh, Neji." Tenten looked at the ceiling, "What do you think is Sasuke's purpose of kidnapping Sakura? I mean, he could have killed her instead of taken her, right?"

"Yes, that's a mystery to me, too." Neji replied, "But like what you said, Sakura's life is under Kashime's hands right now. We both know she lied to Hokage-sama yesterday, but she has a reasonable excuse for that. And… you told me to trust her, right?"

"Right." Tenten smiled, "So I guess there's nothing to worry about?"

"Hmm… Who knows? Maybe there is and maybe there isn't." Neji concluded.

Back to Kashime…

"Argh! The sun's heat is terrible here in Konoha!" Kashime almost half-yelled in frustration, "Suddenly, I'm kinda missing that thick fog in the atmosphere and those frequent cloudy days in the Mist!"

She went under a shade of a tree and leaned on its trunk, trying to rest under the tree's cool for a while. Then she figured that she was somehow in an entrance to a small forest.

"_And when you find this, enter the small forest."_

Kashime seemed alert. Now she was thinking that the second tree with the carved symbol of Konoha on its trunk is somewhere. Coincidentally, she looked at the trunk of the tree she's been leaning on. And there it is, the Konoha symbol carved onto the tree. She wasn't able to see it in the first place because it was a little bit more to the left.

"_Go straight until you find a big boulder with an 'x' mark. You'll find this at the foot of the mountain."_

Wasting no time at all, she focused chakra on her feet and ran with such agility and speed that she could muster. In no time, she reached the foot of the mountain. She looked up and could see the towering faces of the 4 Hokages.

Actually, there were a lot of boulders at the foot of the mountain. Kashime now produced two Mizu bunshins to help her with the search for a boulder with an X mark.

She finally found it after 10 minutes or more.

"_Go behind the boulder and perform the dispel genjutsu."_

She dismissed the Mist clones and went behind the boulder. Afterwards, she made the oh-so familiar handseal of the dispel genjutsu.

"_Then, a door just on the ground will appear. Go inside."_

Other boulders disappeared and then a door appeared at the foot of Kashime. Knowing that this might be the door that her cousin mentioned, she pulled the handle of the door and there was a staircase.

She entered the place, cautiously climbing down the stairs as she closed the door from above. Then, torches suddenly lit up the gloomy hall. It was now bright enough for Kashime to see where she was going.

"_Kashime, you'll find yourself in a hall with a desk and chair."_

Walking slowly, she tried to find that desk and chair. Then, she saw that the hall somehow had a left turn. As soon as she reached the end of the hall and turned left, she saw a well-lit office. It was only lighted by torches but it was bright enough.

There was a shelf of jars on the right side of the desk and inside them were preserved herbs and some were even animal parts. And next to it was a shelf full of medical books. She looked at the walls and there were huge scrolls with drawings and labels of the internal and external human anatomy. Kashime looked at the desk and something caught her attention from the corner of her eye…

…A pile of scrolls at the foot of the wall on the left side of the desk.

"_Beside these are scrolls. In these scrolls, you'll find one wrapped in a black silk cloth."_

She saw other scrolls wrapped with different colors of cloth, there was one with white, and some where green, cyan, red, yellow, pink, gray, orange and mahogany. But behind this pile of scrolls was one very dusty scroll, clothed in black silk. It was the only scroll in black.

"_This must be it."_ Kashime thought, picking up the scroll and dusting it off.

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**Kashime finally found the scroll Sakura had requested her to bring to the Mist. Sasuke unties Sakura from the ropes that keep her inanimate on the chair in the abandoned warehouse in the outskirts of the Mist. However, Sakura and Sasuke seemed to be in good terms, despite their kidnapper-and-captive relationship.**

**Next on Homebound: Damned Herbs**

"**_Oops! My tongue slipped. Damn this herb, it's getting in my brain!"_**

**- Haruno Sakura**

**_A/N:_ Sorry if this chapter was nonsense in some way. As you can see in the preview, the next chapter hints SasuSaku! Well, review, review, review! SasuSaku goodness is the next attraction! OH THIS IS THE START!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	41. Damned Herbs

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ There's a bit of improvement on Chapter 47, however, I'm still not yet done with it. Why? BECAUSE I'M WRITING A SCRIPT, WHICH IS A FIRST PRIORITY. Waaah! But don't worry guys; I'm still alive through this academic hell. I'm just WORKING my way out.**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"_Beside these are scrolls. In these scrolls, you'll find one wrapped in a black silk cloth."_

She saw other scrolls wrapped with different colors of cloth, there was one with white, and some where green, cyan, red, yellow, pink, gray, orange and mahogany. But behind this pile of scrolls was one very dusty scroll, clothed in black silk. It was the only scroll in black.

"_This must be it."_ Kashime thought, picking up the scroll and dusting it off.

**(Chapter 41 – Damned Herbs)**

"_I should leave Konoha immediately."_ Kashime thought as she walked back to the stairs leading back up to the surface, carrying the scroll clothed in black silk with her.

Meanwhile…

Sakura was looking at the misty outdoors of the warehouse. Then, she felt movements. She shifted her gaze onto Sasuke and noticed that he just woke up. And at his wake, his face already winced in pain, seems like his wounds are getting the best of him.

Sakura looked away, unable to look at him. She had been crying for quite some time, and as much as she wanted to hold it back, she muffled out a sob through her gagged mouth. She just bowed her head and let her pink locks cover her crying face.

Sasuke stood up and walked towards her. Sakura's heartbeats paced as approached her. She can't hold back her cries anymore, continuously she muffled out sobs.

Then, Sasuke took out a kunai.

"Keep quiet." Sasuke told her.

Oh how she wished to have performed Shosen jutsu to her vocal cords, she and her stupid sobs. She thought he took out a kunai to hurt her, but instead, Sasuke released her from the ropes and even removed her from being gagged.

"I want you to heal me." Sasuke sat in front of her, "Now."

She wiped her tears away with the back of her hands and said, "Your wounds are infected. I can't just heal them using medical jutsu. I have to use some disinfectants."

Sasuke just eyed her with annoyance.

"But since we don't have any medicine here, I have to make use of herbs and makeshift tools." Sakura told him, "And since I'm your captive and your so-called 'nurse', you should allow me to gather some herbs. You can guard me and escort me if you want."

Sasuke stood up and gave her a kunai, "Fine. Just don't do anything-"

"Don't worry, I won't try to escape. I'll just be wasting my efforts anyway. I'm no match for you."

"Hn." Was his reply.

And out they ventured into the depths of the forest. Sakura, cutting some stems of herbs, getting some leaves and herbal flowers while Sasuke, seeming bored as he watched her smell, touch and look at the structures of some plants she thinks are herbs. She was a medic anyway; she's supposed to know what an herb is and what's not.

Sasuke winced in pain and so he asked, "How many more herbs do you need?"

"These will do." Sakura eyed him.

She approached him and noticed that he was getting pale and blood was starting to drip from his wounds. His eyelids looked heavy and his breathing was pacing. She placed her free hand on his forehead and under his jaw.

"You're getting sick." Sakura sighed, "And your wounds look bad. I hear water flowing in the north. I suggest you take a dip there first and primarily cleanse your wounds with water, before I apply these herbs."

"Yeah right, so you'll escape." He hissed.

She walked past him and replied, "I told you, I won't be able to escape. Uchiha Sasuke is the one who kidnapped me; I'm no match for him."

They reached the river and she pointed to the gentle waters of the river, "Go take a dip. I'll just be looking for things I could use."

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow at her.

"I'll be back after ten minutes. Mark my word." Sakura tore a piece of her shirt and placed the herbs inside and tied it loosely, setting it on the ground.

Then, she started walking not too far from the river, examining some small rocks and some flat rocks.

Sasuke somehow had trust in her and started stripping off and took a dip in the river, taking off the dirt on his body and most especially on his wounds, some of which made blood mix with the fresh river water.

Sakura returned twelve minutes later, two minutes late when she said her estimated time of return. In fact, Sasuke was already dressed up again, now clean and refreshed.

"Sorry it took me quite some time to find decent rocks." Sakura arrived, holding a flat rock on her left and a fist-sized round rock with a flattened side on her right hand. She rinsed the rocks in the river, to remove the dirt and soil.

She carried these and told Sasuke, "Please carry the herbs."

He just bent down a bit on the ground until he reached the torn cloth on the ground with the herbs inside.

A few minutes later: in the warehouse…

"Do you have wounds underneath your shirt?" Sakura asked as she finished grinding some leaves, carrying the slimy green paste on the flat rock with her.

Sasuke was seated on the floor, on top of a blanket that is. Somehow, Sakura found an old blanket from one of the boxes in the warehouse.

Sasuke just nodded.

"Take off your shirt, then." Sakura sat down in front of him.

He removed his shirt and indeed, he had a cut on his back, slight lacerations on the shoulders and a few scratches on the side of his torso. But there were also cuts on his shins.

She dipped her fingers on the herbal paste she made and applied it on the wounds. He winced in pain.

"Hold it. This may be painful, but it will at least make you feel better. This will also take out the infections. Afterwards, I'll close the wounds." Sakura sighed as she continued smearing the green paste on his wounds, "It leaves a sharp and stinging pain but it will become mild and cool later on."

After applying the medication, she made Sasuke lay on his side on the covered floor. She placed a slightly pounded leaf on his forehead and sat beside him, leaning her back against the wall.

"You just caught a slight fever because your wounds got infected. I also mixed an herb that will make you fall asleep and an herb that will cure your fever in the medication. I did that to make you sleep… your body will need it while it's recovering from the wounds." Sakura explained, "I'll stay here, I won't escape."

"Why would I believe you?" Sasuke asked, "You said you have mixed an herb that will make me sleep. I know that while I'm asleep, you'll get the chance to run away. Why should I believe that you won't be able to escape?"

"I wounded myself a while ago." Sakura showed the small wound on her left shin, "I smeared a pounded leaf paste of an herb that immobilizes someone for about 5 hours. The leaf I used to make you fall asleep is also effective for 5 hours."

Sasuke gazed in the corner of his eye and saw the small wound on Sakura's shin, indeed with traces of smeared green paste on it.

"Why don't you try and run away when you have the chance?" Sasuke sighed as he tried to fight off the sleep, "You're so stupid."

Sakura tried to move her feet but it seems like the herb already did the job – she can't move her legs.

Sakura gave him a smile, although his back was facing her, "I don't know, maybe because I really am stupid."

Sasuke was feeling sleepy, but he tried to fight it off.

"Why don't you try running away sometimes?" Sasuke asked, trying to keep his mind awake, despite the fact that his body is shouting at him to sleep.

"_Damn that herb! Stop getting in my nerves!"_ he thought.

"Are you kidding me?" Sakura chuckled, "And then what? Get myself injured and wounded all the more? Exert all my efforts and then end up failing? I use my head, unlike anybody else. I could hope that someone might save me, but I guess **someone** doesn't want me to leave for an unknown reason."

He caught the venom of her words and that made him infuriated.

"Oops! My tongue slipped. Damn this herb, it's getting in my brain!" Sakura mocked.

"You're really hopeless." Sasuke mocked right back, "You're so pathetic. You're so weak. You're getting more annoying than ever."

And at those words, Sakura was struck hard. If only she can move her legs, then she would get that kunai near the bonfire she made a while ago and stab him.

Damn those herbs.

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**After healing Sasuke's wounds, Sakura seems to be having arguments with the Uchiha prodigy. Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Tsunade gets frustrated and Jiraiya invites her for a drink. Jiraiya had said something that almost ticked off the Fifth Hokage. What would Tsunade do to Jiraiya, who got her frustrated all the more? Would she give him the same treatment like she did when Kashime totally ticked off Tsunade?**

**On Homebound Chapter 42: Frustrations**

"**_Rescue plan…? My student was just kidnapped, Jiraiya! And the one who took her was no ordinary kidnapper; it's that devil-may-know-who Konoha traitor."_**

**- Tsunade**

**_A/N:_ Loved the chapter? Oh, SasuSaku is being served slowly, how delightful! Hey, don't dream that I'm going to give you a full blast of SasuSaku on the next chapter, no, NOT JUST YET. Y'all have to wait and see what happens to these two as I twist them and turn them. OH, I'M EVIL!**

**Now review before I change my mind and stop this fic. : Grabs grenades:**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	42. Frustrations

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ Well, now, I'm not that busy anymore, but still, I am busy. I'm starting up Chapter 49! Anyway, Chapter 47 and Chapter 48 are done and they're SaiSaku. Chapter 48 is kinda heartbreaking because it will also be somewhat SasuSaku, but it is SaiSaku. Yes! Sasuke x Sakura x Sai! Who would win? Obviously, you would see the winner just by reading the summary of Homebound! Also, Chapter 48 will be entitled, _The Day You Said Goodnight_, so Filipino readers, you do know what to expect. Yes, a very heartbreaking Chapter 48. A very heartbreaking SaiSaku chapter.**

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(From the last chapter…)**

"You're really hopeless." Sasuke mocked right back, "You're so pathetic. You're so weak. You're getting more annoying than ever."

And at those words, Sakura was struck hard. If only she can move her legs, then she would get that kunai near the bonfire she made a while ago and stab him.

Damn those herbs.

**(Chapter 42 – Frustrations)**

"How many times have you said those words to me?" Sakura wiped the tears with the back of her hands, but still, she smiled, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe ever since I met you, you've said those words to me more or less a hundred times. I can't hope anymore! I'm just going to waste my time."

"So much for the Hokage's apprentice." He rolled his eyes in sarcasm.

"Like I'm going to be Hokage." Sakura chuckled pessimistically, "A weakling like me doesn't deserve to be Hokage. That's what you'll say for sure."

"I've known you as someone who would hope for something hopeless." He said.

"Hope for something hopeless? Oh yes, I have a very good example for that. I looked forward to spending forever with you, but alas, what a grave mistake I made when I learned that you were just going to screw me to revive your clan. Thank goodness I used my head before the end of the world for me."

"Pathetic." He murmured.

"Just go to sleep." Sakura pointed out, "Stop yapping and go to sleep already."

A few minutes had passed, Sasuke heard whispering. Of course, it had to be Sakura.

"… I want to go home… Please, I want to go home…" Sakura whispered, "I'm scared… I'm scared of him…"

His eyes widened at that thought. He tried to move his body to see if she was going to kill herself or what, sadly, his body was also paralyzed… He felt little fear.

Having difficulty moving, he just stared at her at the corner of his eyes and saw that she had fallen asleep, crying and whispering.

"Tsunade-sama… Send out an Anbu Platoon now… I want to go home, please…" Sakura continued whispering, "Set me homebound… Liberate me from captivity…"

Sasuke shook the thought of his head. Scared of who? Homebound? Captivity?

"_Hell, she must be awake."_ Sasuke rolled his eyes.

Later on, he fell asleep as well, no longer capable of fighting off the effects of the herbs.

Meanwhile…

Kashime sat on the bed of her suite in the Konoha Hotel. She stared at the scroll that Sakura wanted her to give. She fell back on the bed and held the scroll close to her chest as she stared at the ceiling.

"Please don't do suicide." Kashime then stared at the scroll, "Black means death or suffering. It's either you will suffer after you do this jutsu or Sasuke will suffer."

In another part of Konoha…

Tsunade was reading medical books and her facial features tell you that she is still angry, frustrated, tensed, worried, panicking, confused, unable to concentrate, serious and impatient.

"_If only that Kashime didn't come here then I'll be able to send out an Anbu Platoon to quickly retrieve Sakura and catch that Uchiha!"_ Tsunade thought, _"And damn! What ingredients do you mix with an extract from Takigakure no Sato?"_

Unable to look for her answers, she slammed the book she's reading to a close, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists.

"ARGH! Damn it, too many problems!" Tsunade immediately stood up and looked over the busy town of Konoha.

"_I have to act quickly before Uchiha finishes off Sakura. And why did he kidnap her?"_ Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows.

"Frustrated?" a masculine voice echoed through her office.

"What do you want, Jiraiya?" Tsunade turned to the man squatting on the extreme left window pane of the room.

"I say, leave your books and problems here and let's have sake." Jiraiya flashed a grin.

Tsunade sighed and waved her hands back and forth, somewhat dismissing an issue.

"I've no time for that right now." Tsunade told him, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well, fine then." Jiraiya shrugged his shoulders, "I was planning to gamble. A big cash prize is at stake."

Tsunade looked at her side and smirked.

A few minutes later…

"What do you really want, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked, sipping a shot of sake.

They were in a bar, and they sat at the farthest corner table.

"Nothing much really," Jiraiya smiled, "It's just that… you're too pressured."

"If Naruto was missing, wouldn't you get frustrated and worried?" Tsunade asked, rubbing her temples with her fingers as she poured some more sake on her cup.

"Of course, I would be!" Jiraiya shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I should calm down first before I think of a rescue plan, that is."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Rescue plan…? My student was just kidnapped, Jiraiya! And the one who took her was no ordinary kidnapper; it's that devil-may-know-who Konoha traitor."

He just sipped some sake and poured more on his cup.

"If you send an Anbu Squad immediately to Kirigakure, there will be a possibility that she will get killed." Jiraiya told her, "Let's just wait and see."

"Damn it! Wait and see? What! Wait until that Uchiha cuts the head off my student and finally see my student returned to Konoha dead?" Tsunade vent out all her frustrations, "I looked after Sakura like she was my own daughter! I taught her everything I knew to make her stronger and now that she's in danger, you're asking me to wait and see!"

Jiraiya stared at her. The Hokage was gritting her teeth, eyes twitching, eyebrows furrowed, fists trembling and yes, raging in anger.

He sighed, "Well, you're just going to kill Sakura if you don't calm down. I heard her cousin is here to get some information about that Uchiha… also, I heard that Sakura's cousin is the Mizukage's student."

"I don't give a damn if that Kashime is going to be the next Mizukage upon her return to the Mist!" Tsunade half-yelled: "I want my student back!"

His eyes widened, "You mean Sakura's cousin is guaranteed to be the Mizukage next?"

The Hokage did not reply.

"Sakura is your student. Tsunade, she will be fine." Jiraiya drank some sake, "She was Uchiha's ex-fiancée… I'm sure that guy loved even just one thing about her. He wouldn't kill her because he might regret it."

After hearing that, Tsunade seemed to have calmed down.

"Let's just drink." Jiraiya poured some sake into Tsunade's cup, "Would you like a game of cards?"

_TBC…_

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**Kashime prepares to leave Konoha. Sasuke is fully healed and it's now his turn to return the favor to Sakura. They start up a conversation and things really get heated up as the conversation went on, Sasuke saying something to Sakura, which made her irritated. What is it that Sasuke have said that made Sakura hate him?**

**On the next chapter of Homebound: _One Step Closer_**

"_**Fine! I took you away because I want to be with you!"**_

**- Uchiha Sasuke**

**_A/N:_ Ooh… What did just Sasuke say? "I took you away because I want to be with you?" SasuSaku fans, please don't drool over your keyboards. We're just getting closer to Chapter 44! Oh and Chapter 44 is a very, very long chapter, so gear up your reading seats.**

**Also, if you have any suggestions for Homebound, I'd like to hear from you. I'm just a PM away!**

**Don't forget to drop me a review!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	43. One Step Closer

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I'm in the middle of Chapter 51. Chapter 52 is soon to be written. Anyway, if you have any suggestions for Homebound, I'd gladly like to hear from you AND EVEN APPLY IT if you're lucky and suggestive enough. Oh yeah, and I think Homebound will be 60+ or even 70+ chapters long. Oh boy, I'm creating an epic one. And because of that, I would love and need a LOT of SUPPORT from all of you guys. Reviews are the things and words that keep writers inspired, creative and alive. So good ones or bad ones, just review! **

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**(Chapter 43 – One Step Closer)**

Sasuke finally wakes up. Right now, he feels better. He noticed that it was already night. But then, he finds himself in the center of a seal, around 10 meters in diameter. He stood up and looked for his shirt. When he found it, he wore it on and wondered where Sakura was.

He turned around and saw Sakura on the west side of the seal she made from the ashes of the now extinguished bonfire. She was lying there, looking quite exhausted.

He approached her and found a torn piece of her clothing on her side, with green dirt on it. He reached for it and smelled it. It was actually the smell of the herbs. He looked at his wounds… they were all gone! He found blood on the jeans of Sakura – the wound she made wasn't even healed yet.

Sighing, he opted to carry her in his arms and lay her down on the blanket, where he used to lay before.

In Konoha…

Kashime is now starting to pack her things. She received a letter from Tsunade that she needs to leave Konoha and go back to Kirigakure early in the morning. She will be riding a ship that is owned by Konoha, and she has to take Neji and Tenten with her, to assure her that she will accomplish her task and bring Sakura back.

She sighed, "And why did Mizukage-sama decide that I would become his successor? Igatou, if you hadn't died then you would have been the successor, not me! You can do a better job, I swear!"

The only item left that's not yet in her backpack is… that scroll Sakura requested.

Kashime reached for the scroll clothed in black silk and stared at it, "Whatever this is, be sure not to cause bigger troubles."

Then, she placed it in her backpack and zipped her bag, putting it on a chair next to the door. She opened the balcony door and leaned on the railings of the balcony, staring at the night sky.

"You're going to take yourself one step closer to the edge, huh Sakura?" she absent-mindedly said.

In Kirigakure…

Sakura woke up. She felt kind of dizzy because she drained out all her chakra after performing Chikatsu Saisei no jutsu to heal all Sasuke's wounds thoroughly. Still feeling exhausted, she managed to sit up and rub the sleep out of her eyes.

Chikatsu Saisei no jutsu was something that Tsunade didn't teach, actually, it was Shizune who taught her such a high-risk jutsu. The jutsu is supposed to be performed by a medic team; however, it can also be performed solo. In that case, the person performing the jutsu has to use all his/her chakra throughout the seal to heal just one person.

Anyway, she noticed that the wound she made on her shin was bandaged – and the bandage was actually torn off from the blanket she was laying on.

Sasuke had noticed that she had sat up. Sakura noticed his stare and said, "Well? What are you waiting for? You're healed."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Am I not your captive?" Sakura asked, "Tie me up now."

"You have a wound." He replied, "It would severe if I tie you up."

"What?" Sakura chuckled, "Then tie my thighs onto the chair!"

"Why do you want to be tied up in the first place?"

"It's because you never trusted me. And of course, knowing the big ego you have, I went ahead of you to tell you to tie me up. Quickly now, so I could sleep again."

"You're so pathetic."

"Yes, yes, there, I accept your gratitude and praises for me, now tie me up."

"Tie yourself up." Sasuke retorted, "Go ahead, since you want to be tied up so badly, why don't you do it yourself?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Oh, of all the stupidity! Of course! Why didn't I think of that?"

She quickly made handseals and blue chakra ropes started to tie her ankles and snake around her legs, but in a split second, Sasuke was in front of her, with Sharingan activated. He had performed handseals and Sakura was free from the chakra ropes.

"To hell with you! Are you trying to commit suicide?" Sasuke raised his voice.

"Damn! Why are you so concerned? If I want to die, why don't you allow it!" Sakura shouted right back, "What's your purpose for taking me away, anyway?"

"I took you away because... I, no… Orochimaru wants you to serve him!" Sasuke replied.

"Oh, so now you're really Orochimaru's dog. Gosh, you're so stupid! You just gave me the stupidest answer ever!"

"Fine! I took you away because I want to be with you!" Sasuke closed his eyes and once he opened them, his eyes were no longer red, rather, they were onyx once again and he tried to calm down.

Sakura had her eyes wide open; blinking repeatedly and had her mouth open, too… she was also blushing a bit.

"_What did he just say?"_ Sakura thought.

"Happy now?" Sasuke eyed her.

Sakura finally said, "Sheesh! I think the cursed seal has this side effect on you!"

"Whatever." He replied.

He was about to walk away when she spoke, "Then why didn't you tell it to me in the first place?"

He stopped at his tracks. He stood there, frozen. She managed to stand up and walk to him. She stopped only when she was roughly a foot away from him.

"I asked, haven't I?" tears rolled down her face, "I asked you if you love me before I broke up with you. You told me you didn't… So why are you running back to me now? You caused all these troubles just for you to tell me that you wanted to be with me? You killed Anbus, you injured yourself, submitted yourself under the power of Orochimaru once more, killed innocent lives from that bus, injured Lee and literally caused the whole Mist in chaos, perhaps, even Konoha right now is in chaos. All of those… just for you to tell me that… that you wanted to be with me?"

He didn't move.

"And when I lost my memory, when you thought I was a different person, you told me that you loved me…?" Sakura cried, "Good grief, Sasuke! Why would you cause too much havoc on yourself and on others? It's killing me to know that you kill just to get to me!"

He didn't say a word; he stood there, like he was something inanimate.

"What did you just do? That's it? You did all of these just to run back to me? Why didn't you just ask me properly, face to face?" she continued, "Look me in the eye, Sasuke-kun!"

"I was manipulated by Orochimaru to kill… to kill because of you… to kill because you ruined my plans for the future of the Uchiha Clan." Sasuke finally said.

"Then why didn't you fight back! It's not like he owns your brain, Sasuke! I hate you!" Sakura screamed, "I hate you because you caused too many problems that shouldn't have happened if only you knew how to think! I hate you because you followed Orochimaru to kill because of me! I hate you because you wouldn't talk to me; give me your honest answers when I ask you! I hate you because you triggered more problems to people who shouldn't even take shares in **our** problem! I HATE YOU!"

"You know me as a person who doesn't like to talk much. That's why I don't give you honest answers." He finally turned around and faced her, "This was also hard for me to take! I can't control myself any longer because I surrendered myself to Orochimaru's power-"

SLAP.

Sakura had just slapped Sasuke across the face.

"I knew you as a person who was frank. I knew you as a person who would always fight back. Damn it, what the hell is wrong with you!" Sakura yelled, "You've changed so much! Why didn't you fight for what you believed in? Why did you allow yourself to be under Orochimaru? Why, Sasuke-kun, why?"

He just couldn't answer anymore. The truth hurts.

"You know what?" Sakura plastered on a sad smile, "I didn't know you're more pathetic, more annoying and more irritating than I am."

Sasuke eyed her.

"I so hate you right now, Uchiha Sasuke." Sakura concluded as she started walking to the place where she lay a while ago.

_TBC…_

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**Kashime tries to find a way to quickly reach Kirigakure. She tells Neji and Tenten to just catch up with her as she goes ahead. When she does reach Kirigakure, she was exhausted and she fainted out. The Mizukage gave her medical support and gave her enough information that she needs to look for Uchiha Sasuke. She immediately finishes her mission, bringing the scroll clothed in black silk to Sakura. However, an angry Sasuke wouldn't allow her to escape Kirigakure alive. Get ready. For the next chapter is one hell of an action-packed adventure.**

**Next on Homebound, Chapter 44: _Unstoppable_**

"_**You're gonna pay the price for hurting my cousin, you sick piece of shit!"**_

**- Haruno Kashime**

**_A/N:_ Ladies and gentlemen, the next chapter is the second climax of Homebound! Yes, you read that right! It's so thrilling, that I, myself, also got thrilled upon writing the chapter. Anyway, I think this next chapter is much more thrilling than Chapter 24: Akatsuki no Kuruma. Why? Because it's so twisted and it's so action-packed that you would crave for every next second reading it. So, brace yourselves, fellas!**

**Oh yeah, by the way, the song for the next chapter, _Humanda Ka_ is still available. So you can contact me if you want a copy of it, and I'll just send it in your emails!**

**Review please!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	44. Unstoppable

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_DISCLAIMER:_ _I DO NOT OWN THE SONG "HUMANDA KA" NOR DO I OWN NARUTO._**

**_UPDATES!_ This is the busiest time of the school year, so again, I can't write as much. I've only gone around a bit with Chapter 52, but it's still yet to be finished. Anyhow, I won't delay anything since… NEXT WEEK IS MY SUMMER VACATION! OH YEAH!**

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**(Prologue)**

It was still before dawn but Kashime was already waiting on a bench in the pier outside Konoha. She was wearing a royal blue sweater over her everyday ninja clothing. It was freezing cold to sit on a bench near the sea, not to mention you're too early before the given time.

She was actually an hour early.

She's trying to stop her teeth from chattering and she was already sneezing due to the freezing temperature.

"_Sheesh! This is colder than the temperature in the Mist every sunrise! But of course, the seashore over there is way colder than the seashore here before dawn."_ Kashime looked at her pendant clock.

She pressed the gem on top and the cover opened. The glass was fogging up. With her bare hands, she wiped off the fog from the glass to see what time was it.

"_Still too early."_ Kashime thought as she rubbed her hands together and tucked them tightly under her arms, after pocketing her pendant clock.

Her luggage is nice and safe in the locker she rented in the waiting area.

"Don't you think you're too early for today?" a feminine voice came from behind.

"Don't you think you're too early, too?" Kashime turned to Tenten and Neji.

Neji and Tenten were wearing coats – they knew it was going to be cold. Of course, this was their village. Tenten had her long hair down and so did Neji.

Neji took his wife's luggage and went to the receiving desk of the waiting area. He was given a key and went to the lockers.

Tenten sat beside Kashime. She sighed, "So, what's up?"

"Nothing much." Kashime replied, "Neh, I'm just wondering. When are you and Neji going to have a baby?"

Tenten blushed at that thought, "What! Actually… We don't have a family planned yet. We just want to be together as much as possible, before thinking of a baby."

Kashime chuckled, "Sorry for asking a shocking question. I just don't have anything in mind today, so I suddenly blurted that out."

"It's my turn to ask you a question." Tenten smirked, "When are you going to have a boyfriend?"

Kashime blushed – she thought of Shio.

"W-what! Hey! I'm going to be Mizukage soon, so… So I'm not thinking of that yet!"

"It doesn't mean that you're gonna be Mizukage, you can't have a husband or kids."

"C'mon, Shio won't come back to me because we're just friends now!" Kashime suddenly placed a hand over her mouth after knowing what she had just said.

Tenten grinned devilishly, "Shio? Shio's a student of the Mizukage, right? And he's your only teammate left, right? Is he also your-"

"Hey don't think that way!" Kashime sweatdropped, "Shio was my childhood friend!"

Tenten seemed like her grin has reached from ear to ear and she gently elbowed Kashime on the waist, "That's where it all starts, Kashime. Looks like you're in love with this Shio! That tinge of red on your face says so!"

Kashime placed her hands on her cheeks, covering those blushes.

"Tenten." Tenten's husband called.

She turned around and saw Neji handing her a can of hot cocoa. He also handed one to Kashime. Neji sat down beside his wife and opened his can of hot cocoa.

"Hey," Kashime said in a serious tone after sipping some hot cocoa, "how fast does the ship to the Mist go?"

"Don't worry; we'll be there in a day. Tomorrow morning we'll arrive at the Kirigakure pier." Tenten replied.

"No." Kashime tightened her grip on the can of hot cocoa, "I must be there within this day. I must be there before noon."

Tenten almost spewed out the hot cocoa in her mouth after hearing Kashime had said that.

"There's no ship in Konoha that will take you to Kirigakure before noon. The one we're riding is probably the fastest already." Neji added, "Don't be in a hurry. Be patient."

An hour later…

"Yes, please just put our luggage in our rooms." Tenten politely told some jounins.

Finally, the ship has arrived. Tsunade was also there at the pier, talking to Neji. Kashime was still seated at the bench, hugging her backpack.

"_No, I should arrive at the Mist at noon… I can't tolerate that I will arrive there tomorrow morning."_ Kashime clutched her backpack, her eyes narrowing in deep thought, _"Sakura's waiting for this scroll."_

"Hey, get on board." Tenten approached Kashime.

"Huh? Oh… Okay." Kashime nodded as she went aboard the ship.

The ship finally set forth towards the Mist. Kashime leaned on the railings of the deck of the ship and looked at the speedy movement of the ship. She seemed to have forgotten to leave her backpack in her room in the ship.

"_Damn, this is too slow."_ Kashime gnashed her teeth and clenched her fist on the railing.

"Easy now." It was Tenten again. She stood beside her and looked at the disappearing view of Konoha, "I know… you just want to kill that Sasuke, huh?"

Kashime did not reply.

"Even Neji and I want to kill him; you know, wrap our hands around his neck and crush him." Tenten sweatdropped, "I know I'm exaggerating."

Kashime then removed her sweater and her backpack; she got a small whistle from her pocket. She blew the whistle as loud as she could. Tenten covered her ears from the sound of it.

Kashime got the scroll clothed in black silk from the bag and wore the whistle around her neck. She gave her sweater and her backpack to Tenten, saying, "I'm sorry but I have to go way ahead of you."

"What!" Tenten blinked in confusion, "How many times do I have to tell you-"

Then a high-pitched sound echoed through the sky and a large shadow seemed to have been cast over them. Then, landing on the railings of the ship was a white-bellied sea eagle.

Kashime patted the beak of the eagle and stroked its wings. Then, the eagle bowed as a sign of recognition for its master. Kashime tied the scroll on the left leg of the eagle with a ninja string.

"Igatou-kai, fly over the seas and meet me at the Kirigakure pier." Kashime looked at the eye of her animal friend, "Kirigakure pier. Remember that, Ki-ri-ga-ku-re pier."

"_Naming this eagle after Igatou would never go wrong. After all, this was Igatou's pet originally. He just gave the egg to me and it only hatched after Igatou's death."_ Kashime thought as she patted the beak of the eagle again.

"Now go." Kashime signaled and the eagle soared up the sky.

"Tenten, what was that loud noise I heard a while ago?" Neji came to the deck and saw Tenten holding the backpack and sweater of Kashime.

Kashime jumped over the railings of the ship.

"Kashime, are you insane!" Tenten screamed.

Neji ran until he reached the railings. Then, he saw that Kashime was standing over the waters, with chakra onto her feet.

"Hey!" Kashime smirked at the couple, "Be sure to return my sweater and my backpack to me tomorrow at the Mizukage's office!"

"I don't understand what you're trying to do, Kashime!" Tenten shouted.

Kashime made some handseals and closed her eyes, _"This was the first technique Mizukage-sama taught to me, **personally**. He told me that because I was much more capable of controlling enough chakra to any part of my body which needs the chakra, this jutsu is just right for me. However, I'm only allowed to use this technique only at a maximum of 3 times a year… because doing this too often will destroy my chakra points and I might be paralyzed. This is the second time I will be using this technique this year so…"_

She shot her eyes open and slammed her right hand onto the water, "Special Suiton: Unification with the Mist!"

A whirlpool formed beneath her feet and her body began turning into water. Then, eels made of water surrounded her water form and she suddenly turned into nothing but steam. The eels started revolving around the steam until these eels made a small waterspout, spinning madly until the sky. The steam immediately went up to the dark clouds forming above the waterspout.

Neji and Tenten were looking at this strange jutsu. Perhaps they never have seen a jutsu performed involving Mother Nature.

The waterspout disappeared and so did the whirlpool below. The skies cleared and the seas calmed.

The ship was safe now.

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**(Chapter 44 – Unstoppable)**

The Kirigakure pier – enveloped with fog as always. People did not notice steam descending from the sky to the forest. Why would they wonder about steams? The Mist is a foggy and a mysterious place; it's always fog, steam and mist here and there! However, that mist that descended into the forests was a **someone** not a something.

Kashime's steam form started taking in its water form and finally, its human form. Kashime sat under a tree, leaning on it and breathing in and out continuously – she was very exhausted. She had used all the chakra that she could muster at that moment she used an S-rank jutsu. Garnering all the willpower she had left, she reached for the whistle just below her collarbone.

She blew it rather choppy but it made noises nonetheless. Then, from the heavens descended Igatou-kai – with that black scroll still tied on his leg. The giant bird landed just in front of Kashime and nuzzled his master's arm, who seemed to be asleep. Igatou-kai blinked and made that shrieking noise only an eagle can do but still, Kashime didn't wake up.

Taking that as a note, being the intelligent creature that he is, Igatou-kai flew towards the Mizukage tower.

The Mizukage saw that a bird was knocking at his office's window. He recognized it – it was his successor's pet eagle.

Meanwhile…

Sakura woke up. She feels so weak right now. It was a good night's sleep but still remaining a captive of an obsessive ex-fiancé, it was a nightmare.

She saw Sasuke seated on the floor across her with his back against the wall, still asleep.

"_I still love you…"_ Sakura thought, _"Although… after hearing you out that time, I somehow resented you… I may lack the determination I had to save you before, Sasuke-kun… but I will try to save you. I'm just waiting for a miracle."_

Sakura sat up and thought, _"Kashime, please… I need the scroll."_

Back to Kashime…

"Is she okay now?" the Mizukage asked the medic nins whom he took with him to see Kashime.

The Mizukage looked at Igatou-kai who was being fed by another medic nin. It still had that scroll tied on his leg. When anyone would try to untie the strings attaching the scroll to his leg, Igatou-kai will make his deafening noises and flap his wings and tries to scratch that person with his claws. He was an intelligent creature, a loyal one, too.

Kashime stirred from her seating place under the tree. The medic nins gave her something to drink and food pills to restore her chakra.

"Don't worry, Mizukage-sama, Kashime-san just got tired. But she's okay now." A medic nin told the Mizukage.

Kashime finally woke up and saw the Mizukage. Immediately, she bowed before her master and said, "Mizukage-sama! I'm sorry to have made you worry about me! I just came from Konoha-"

"I think I know the further details, Kashime." The Mizukage smiled, "Actually it was Igatou-kai who informed me that you were not well."

Then, the eagle made that loud shrieking noise again and pecked the hands of the medic nin who was trying to untie the ninja string on the bird's leg.

"Igatou-kai, here." Kashime called.

And from that loud shrieking noise, it turned into a chirping sound. Igatou-kai recognized the tone of his master, even her heartbeat – he knew all too well who was his master and who was not.

The eagle made his way to his master and flapped his wings up and down, somewhat dancing as well. Kashime smiled and patted the beak of her pet, "Yes, you did a great job."

She untied the ninja strings around the scroll and the leg of her pet. She held the scroll close to her chest and told Igatou-kai, "You may leave now."

Immediately, the eagle soared up the sky.

Kashime stood up, not wanting to waste any more time. She has to find Sakura, and fast.

"I know you're in a hurry, child." The Mizukage smiled, "But while you were away, I sent spies to gain knowledge regarding the whereabouts of Uchiha Sasuke and your cousin."

_Lahat ng babangga ay magigiba_

_Lahat ng babangga ay magigiba_

_(All those who interfere shall be destroyed)_

_(All those who interfere shall be destroyed)_

Kashime's eyes widened in delight and bowed, "Thank you, Sir!"

"And the location is the abandoned warehouse near the forest and the river which leads to the North Sea. Would you like to know who volunteered to spy for the whereabouts of Uchiha?"

"Who?" Kashime asked.

"It was Nishu of the Elite Anbu Headquarters. She said that this was the only thing she could think of to help you right now." The Mizukage smiled, "She dared not to attack because she knew it was only your business and she should not interfere. Now, run along."

Kashime nodded and ran at her top speed – which is the normal speed of Rock Lee.

In no time at all, she reached the place.

"_I know that you need this right now, Sakura."_ Kashime thought as she jumped in midair with her arms crossed to protect her face – she was going to enter the warehouse by breaking through a window.

Hearing shattered glasses, Sasuke woke up and Sakura stood up.

"Kashime! Thank goodness you got that I asked you!" Sakura immediately approached her cousin and took the scroll.

"What? That's all you could say? Do you even know how much your Hokage wanted to kill me when I told her that you were kidnapped by your psycho ex-fiancé?" Kashime pointed towards Sasuke who had his Sharingan activated.

He threw a kunai towards her direction but Kashime blocked it using her own.

_Mahiwaga ang tadhana_

_At tayo'y muling magkaharap_

_Basura ng lipunan kailangang_

_Itapon at durugin sa isang iglap_

_(Fate is magical,)_

_(And now we meet again)_

_(Society's nonsense)_

_(Must be discarded and crushed with one blow)_

"If you want a fight, then why don't we take this outside, huh, bastard?" Kashime smirked.

"Yeah right." Sasuke replied, "And then I'd fall for your traps. I know that you brought some people to arrest me outside."

"Ooh, are you scared of little critters getting your throat?" the orange-haired woman mocked, as if bullying an underdog, "It's just me all alone. You and me, Uchiha, one on one."

"Then someone will take Sakura home?" he harangued, "I'm not someone you can fool! I'd rather kill my captive than kill you!"

_Sa aking paglipad_

_Ang buong mundo'y mananatiling ligtas,_

_Kahit kanino 'di aatras_

_(In my flight,)_

_(The whole world will remain safe)_

_(I won't surrender to anybody)_

Sasuke paced towards the awestruck Sakura but an ice mirror caged Sakura: from her left and right, from overhead and from her front and back… she was completely surrounded by sheets of ice mirrors.

"A kidnapper is responsible for his captive. But I, the upcoming Mizukage, am responsible to take away the captive from a kidnapper who is just in my town." Kashime placed her hands on her hips and continued, "Don't worry, your Sakura can't escape this cage! Now, why don't we fight?"

"Bring it on!" Sasuke said as he chased down Kashime.

You see, Kashime won't be the next Mizukage for nothing – she was wise. She again escaped through a window with Sasuke tailing her.

_Sa aking paglipad_

_Ang buong mundo'y mananatiling ligtas,_

_Kahit kanino 'di aatras_

_(In my flight,)_

_(The whole world will remain safe)_

_(I won't surrender to anybody)_

Kashime ran as far as she could, just to get at a safe distance, away from the warehouse and a little bit away from Sasuke.

"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke hissed as he released fireballs from his mouth.

"Suiton: Suikodan no Jutsu!" Kashime fought back as water bullets extinguished the fireballs, "Damn, using that same technique again? Don't you have anything else? Remember, fire is weak to water and ice. Sheesh, you really are a stupid bastard."

_Humanda ka_

_(Get ready)_

Angered, Sasuke gathered his chakra onto his right palm and loud cackling noises of a thousand birds echoed through the whole area. Kashime's eyes widened when…

"Chidori!" Sasuke hissed as he thrusted his special jutsu towards her.

_Humanda ka_

_(Get ready)_

Sakura had been freed from the ice cage the moment Kashime and Sasuke had gone from the warehouse. It seems like the ice cage is only made of soft ice, that's why it melted in an instant.

She was making a room-wide seal in the warehouse using the ashes from the bonfire. There, lying on the center of the seal was the scroll, now bare and open, revealing the seals and the writings in it.

_Hindi tayo magkatulad,_

_Hindi mo ako kayang pigilin_

_Wala nang dapat pag-usapan_

_Walang pakundangang kitang tatapusin_

_(We're not the same,)_

_(You can't stop me)_

_(There's nothing more to talk about)_

_(I will mercilessly finish you)_

Kashime had cuts on her face after Sasuke had just broken the thick ice wall she made. His Chidori was gone now; however, the ice wall broke down like needles and shattered pieces of glass falling all over the place, thus cutting through the skins of both fighters.

"Nice move!" Kashime mocked, "You wounded yourself more than you did to me. Why? It's because of lack of judgment upon using your technique."

In a split second, Kashime had her hands wrapped around Sasuke's neck, trying to suffocate him, kill him.

"You're gonna pay the price for hurting my cousin, you sick piece of shit!" Kashime furiously said as the chakra on her hands began turning into ice with spikes covering her hands, "Die, bastard!"

_Sa aking paglipad_

_Ang buong mundo'y mananatiling ligtas,_

_Kahit kanino 'di aatras_

_(In my flight,)_

_(The whole world will remain safe)_

_(I won't surrender to anybody)_

Sakura sat at the left side of the huge seal. Now, she is performing a long chain of hand seals.

"_This is the only thing that can stop Sasuke."_ Sakura thought, _"This is the only thing I could do for Sasuke-kun to take away his misery. However… I will be unstoppable."_

Sakura was now reading the handseals indicated on the scroll.

"_I will unleash the beast that can only take away his pain. And as I'm doing this, I know, Konoha, Kirigakure, Sasuke, Kashime… Everyone… will be safe."_ Sakura contemplated, _"Although I cannot promise my safety. I may die in the process, but I will save multitude, nonetheless."_

_Sa aking paglipad_

_Ang buong mundo'y mananatiling ligtas,_

_Kahit kanino 'di aatras_

_(In my flight,)_

_(The whole world will remain safe)_

_(I won't surrender to anybody)_

Sasuke was now lacking intake of oxygen. He needs the essential element.

"I thought you were a genius!" Kashime mocked, "Here you are, struggling in my palms! That's great! Because your Hokage wants your head back in Konoha!"

"In your dreams, bitch." Sasuke hissed as he kneed her gut, making her cough out some air.

Sasuke got some distance between the two of them. Now the contenders are pausing to catch their breaths.

"I'm not going to give up!" Kashime yelled, "This is for Kirigakure!"

She made handseals and slapped her palm on the ground, some writings appearing, "Special Ice jutsu: Art of the Ice Dragon Captive!"

_Humanda ka_

_(Get ready)_

A huge ice dragon appeared in midair and screeched. Sasuke felt something like cold hands gripping his ankles from the ground. And when he looked down, he saw ice snakes hooking his feet to the ground.

_Humanda ka_

_(Get ready)_

The ice dragon breathed cold mist in front of Sasuke however, he was able to make handseals and exclaimed, "Katon: Karyu Endan!"

And a flame dragon melted the ice snakes and battled with the ice dragon in midair.

_Humanda ka_

_Lahat ng babangga ay magigiba_

_Lahat ng babangga ay magigiba_

_(Get ready)_

_(All those who interfere shall be destroyed)_

_(All those who interfere shall be destroyed)_

"Not bad!" Kashime looked up and returned her gaze to Sasuke, who was missing from her sight.

"Your time ends here." Sasuke hissed as he grabbed Kashime's right wrist and placed it on her back, his grip tightened, "You do like disturbing personal peace. Now, let me do you something called, 'eternal' personal peace!"

Just then, her body melted into water and a punch landed on the face of Sasuke from the right.

"Don't underestimate me, bastard." Kashime said as she dominantly stepped onto Sasuke's chest, "It's just a little payback for what you did to my cousin."

_Humanda ka_

_Lahat ng babangga ay magigiba_

_Lahat ng babangga ay magigiba_

_(Get ready)_

_(All those who interfere shall be destroyed)_

_(All those who interfere shall be destroyed)_

"Why do you love to be with Sakura so much?" Kashime asked.

Then, Sasuke's curse took over him. He grabbed Kashime's ankle and pulled her until she was on the ground, on her belly and face first. It started to rain – the fire dragon engulfed and melted away the ice dragon.

Sasuke stood up and began twisting her ankle, which made her squirm and shout in pain.

Not until…

A loud scream echoed through the whole forest, causing some birds in trees to fly away. Sasuke's curse was receding. He recognized that high pitched voice, and it seems like Kashime knows it as well.

"Sakura!" the both of them gasped.

_Humanda ka!_

_(Get ready!)_

And there lay Sakura in the warehouse, unconscious and cursed with Orochimaru's seal. The seal was all over her body, glowing in orange-black flames.

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**Kashime finds out that the content of the scroll is a suicide jutsu. Sasuke surrenders before Kashime and arrests him. Neji and Tenten finally reaches Kirigakure, the next day after Sasuke fights with Kashime. Kashime hands over the Konoha traitor to Neji and Tenten, including the unconscious Sakura. However, Neji thinks that Sakura is dead. And much to Sasuke's surprise… his silver-haired sensei is also with Neji and Tenten, meeting up with them on the way to the Kirigakure pier.**

**On the next chapter: _Aftermath_**

"_**Sasuke… What did you do?"**_

**- Hatake Kakashi**

**_A/N:_ Oooh… Sasuke, you're so in trouble now! Kakashi is coming to get you! Dum dum dum dum! I know, you can't believe it. SASUKE SURRENDERED. Something an Uchiha would never do, right? Well, let's just say his conscience is stabbing him. I know. WHAAAATTT! Uchiha Sasuke? Conscience stabbing him? Aw c'mon! Impossible!**

… **Nope, buddy. It's so true.**

… **Yup, buddy. It's so true… that our Uchiha prodigy here is surrendering for our pink-haired kunoichi.**

**Well, I certainly hoped that you enjoyed this chapter.**

**REVIEW! REVIEW!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	45. Aftermath

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ Finishing up Chapter 52, and starting Chapter 53. Grammar refining from Chapter 48 – 52.**

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

**(Chapter 45 – Aftermath)**

Sasuke quickly left Kashime behind as he headed towards the warehouse. Kashime stood up and wiggled her ankle a bit and tailed Sasuke.

Sasuke looked at his hands and placed a hand over his cursed seal… it was gone! His eyes narrowed, _"How did..."_

The two had reached the warehouse. Kashime entered through the window first and Sasuke followed.

"S-Sakura!" Kashime panicked as she ran to her unconscious cousin who now had Sasuke's cursed seal – it looks like her skin all over her body is burning with the curse.

"Sakura, Sakura, wake up!" Kashime tapped her cousin's cheeks a bit.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed even more. At that moment, he felt his chest ache, the sight before him was… terrible. Sakura transferred his curse into her.

Kashime stood up and got the scroll and read it. Then, her eyes widened and she trembled, "This is a suicide jutsu!"

Sakura's curse had receded into a seal which looks like 3 commas forming a triangle in between her left shoulder and neck. Sasuke stared at the floor and clenched his fists.

Kashime frowned even more and sighed, "You should be thankful that she was willing to sacrifice herself just for you. Even if you are an idiot, a jerk and an insensitive bastard."

Kashime gently cradled Sakura and hoisted her over her shoulder, "I'll return her to Konoha immediately."

"Arrest me now." Sasuke quickly blurted out.

Kashime eyed him, "No need. The Kiri Anbus will take care of you. It's all over. It was her discretion-"

"Arrest me **NOW**!" he demanded.

"If you think Sakura can forgive you for that, then think twice-"

"I'm not begging for her forgiveness! I'm just guilty for the crimes I made."

Kashime placed Sakura down for a while and had a long ninja string on her hands.

"Fine then." Kashime approached Sasuke and tied his hands, wrists and fingers, "Uchiha Sasuke, missing jounin of Konoha, you're under arrest. I'm arresting you under my authority as a Kiri jounin and an upcoming Mizukage. You have the right to remain silent."

The next day, at the Mizukage's office…

"Mizukage, is Kashime here?" Tenten panted as she and Neji ran all the way from the pier and towards the Mizukage tower.

Neji was bringing Kashime's backpack and her sweater.

"Hey, I've got some presents for you." Kashime entered the room with…

"Uchiha Sasuke?" Neji eyed the Uchiha prodigy tied up.

"Haruno Sakura?" Tenten gasped as she saw the Hokage's apprentice hoisted on Kashime's shoulder.

"Neji, please just put my bag and sweater there on the couch." Kashime eyed the couch in the room.

Neji did as followed and Kashime was in front of him. She gently took off Sakura from her shoulder and transferred her in Neji's arms.

"She transferred Uchiha Sasuke's curse into herself." Kashime eyed Sasuke, "Please do anything and everything you can to save her."

Tenten removed the ninja strings on Sasuke's hands and replaced it with strong nylon ropes, tying his wrists and hands together.

"Return to Konoha now." The Mizukage signaled, "Hurry and give the Hokage the good news."

"Yes, Mizukage." Tenten bowed, "Thank you very much for your help. Thanks to you, Mizukage, and most especially to Haruno Kashime. Thank you very much."

When they started walking Neji looked down on Sakura and noticed that she was unconscious.

"Are you sure she's still alive?" Neji eyed Tenten, "You know how angry the Hokage was when Kashime said that she cannot allow Leaf Anbus to enter the Mist and arrest **that man** and retrieve Sakura but… now that we have **him** and her… honestly speaking Tenten, I don't think Sakura's alive anymore."

"And how could you say that?" Tenten asked, as she had her right wrist tied on the end of the rope, the other end was tied onto Sasuke's wrists.

"She's pale and her skin is cold… I don't she's breathing anymore." Neji observed Sakura.

"Neji, wait, stop." Tenten commanded.

Neji stopped and turned to Tenten. His wife approached the corpse-like body of Sakura.

"Let's see." Tenten grabbed a kunai from her husband's holster, "If she's still alive, then she would respond to this action."

"T-Tenten!" Neji exclaimed as he watched his wife take **his** kunai on her left hand and pointed the tip on Sakura's arm, "We'll get in trouble with the Hokage if you kill her!"

"Neji, I know that!" she had a vein protruding on her forehead, "Did you not see how violent Tsunade-sama reacted when she heard Kashime's words?"

Sasuke was listening to the couple and eyed the pale Sakura. It felt like his heart was being constricted at the sight of her corpse-like body. Her beautiful face was now as white as snow, and it was obvious to the eye that she was as cold as ice – like what Neji said.

"Okay, here it goes." Tenten said as she made a small cut on Sakura's arm.

"What are you trying to do!" Neji half-yelled.

She observed as the blood dripped from the wound she made.

"She's still alive. She's just unconscious." Tenten said as she started walking, "We better head back now, Neji. A criminal's got a trial to face."

And with that she glared with deadly daggers at the Uchiha, "I just don't get it. How did Sakura fall in love with a sick psycho like you?"

Neji sighed, "Evil attracts the good, Tenten. Let's just keep him out of topic, please."

Then, they saw a familiar figure running towards the town. When the figure was now very much visible…

"Kakashi-sensei?" Tenten murmured.

Yes, Kakashi was also on the ship! Tsunade assigned him to go with the couple if anything happens, in other words, Kakashi was the trump card if Neji and Tenten fails.

Kakashi stopped in front of them, panting as his eyes rested on his former students: a raven-haired traitor and an unconscious pink-haired medic nin.

"Err… Here." Neji offered Sakura, "She's better off in your care."

Kakashi now had Sakura lying in his arms. His eye/s narrowed at the feel of her cold skin, "Is she dead?"

"A person won't bleed if she's dead, now would she?" Tenten smirked, "The blood will continue to circulate throughout the human system even if she's just unconscious, as long as she's alive. However, if she's really dead, then all functions will stop, even the blood circulation. If the unconscious is wounded and bled, it means she's still alive because blood is moving."

She reached for a bandage on her husband's holster and tossed it to him, "Please bandage Sakura's wound for me."

"Hey, do it yourself. You wounded her!" Neji pouted, "And that's the second time you grabbed something from **my** holster! You have yours!"

"Aww, but I can't reach mine because mine is on my right thigh. As you can see, my right wrist is tied and my left hand can't reach my holster!" Tenten pleaded to her husband, "Would you bandage Sakura's wound for me, pretty please?"

"…"

"Pretty please with sugar on top?"

"…"

Tenten made those irresistible puppy eyes which made Neji stare.

"Okay then, if you don't want to." Tenten took the bandage but a wrist stopped her left hand.

"Just kidding. I'll do it." Neji smiled as he approached Kakashi and Sakura.

"Yay! Thanks, Neji-kun!" his wife delightedly spoke as she walked up to him and stood on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek. Hey, she has to stand on her toes if she wants to give him a peck on the cheek because he was roughly a foot taller than her.

Sasuke sighed at the sight of the two. How he wished he and Sakura were that sweet... err, close. Kakashi eyed his student turned traitor.

"Sasuke." Kakashi's deep voice called, "What did you do?"

Sasuke couldn't reply. He, too, didn't know what he did to Sakura. Was it his fault that she was unconscious? Was it his fault that his curse transferred onto her?

Kakashi eyed the curse seal in between Sakura's neck and left shoulder. When he eyed his onyx-eyed student, his curse on the same location was gone.

"_Did she transfer the curse? If so… How?"_ Kakashi thought.

However, knowing that this wasn't the right time to talk to him, the silver-haired jounin dismissed the question in his head. It was now all up to the Godaime Hokage to decide Uchiha Sasuke's fate and interrogate him about Sakura.

It seems like destiny was twisting paths all over again.

… And for the Uchiha prodigy, it felt somewhat cruel.

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- --- ---

**Sakura is finally home. Sasuke, too, is. Well, sort of. Immediately, he was faced to Tsunade for his trial. What punishment will he receive? Sasuke grabbed the opportunity to visit Sakura in the hospital and there, he also saw the newlywed Nara Shikamaru and the now, Nara Ino. Sasuke could tell from Ino's face that she was angered at the fact that HE visited her best friend and she was also saddened at the fact that Sakura did not wake up… just yet.**

**Up next on Homebound: _On Trial_**

"**_She didn't wake up yet. You don't know how much it hurts me to see my best friend like this… and you, the criminal, visiting your victim like she was on her deathbed… I really can't blame you."_**

**- Nara Ino**

**_A/N:_ Uh-oh! Sasuke encounters Sakura's loudmouth best friend, Yamanaka-Nara Ino! You should look forwards for the next chapter! Also, be noted that Sai (and Yamato) will make their debut appearance on Chapter 47, so somehow, it's pretty soon. Look forward for the edgy love triangle!**

**THE SONG _"THE DAY YOU SAID GOODNIGHT"_ BY HALE, WHICH WILL BE USED FOR CHAPTER 48 IS NOW AVAILABLE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A COPY, JUST PM ME OR INCLUDE IN YOUR REVIEW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY SENT TO YOUR EMAIL. IF SO, I'LL SEND IT. **

**+Releina Artemis+**


	46. On Trial

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ Starting up Chapter 56! And brushing on the grammars on other chapters. Anyway, don't think the thrill is over yet. I'm gonna take you to another adventure ride! Neji, Tenten, now with Jiraiya and Sai go to an unauthorized secret mission! And hey, grab this: Homebound might be even 70+ - 80+ Chapters long! YES PEOPLE, IT MIGHT BE THE LONGEST EPIC EVER MADE IN FF DOT NET! SO I NEED LOTS AND LOTS OF SUPPORT!**

**(Chapter 46 – On Trial)**

"Sakura's fine now, Kakashi." Tsunade told Kakashi, "She's in the hospital. You can visit her if you want. You're dismissed."

Kakashi, Neji, Tenten and Sasuke had returned to Konoha the day after Sasuke's arrest in Kirigakure.

Kakashi bowed as he exited the office.

"Mr. Hyuga Neji and Mrs. Hyuga Tenten." Smiled the Godaime Hokage, "The two of you continue to amaze me. Capturing Uchiha Sasuke and retrieving my student, Haruno Sakura… you did a wonderful job. The two of you can have the week off, dismissed."

The couple bowed and walked to the door. Neji had exited first and held the door open for his wife. But before Tenten could leave, she addressed something to the Hokage, "Hokage-sama, we were not the one who really captured Uchiha Sasuke and retrieved Haruno Sakura. It was all Haruno Kashime's doing. She just handed over the two of them to us as soon as we got there. Well, that's all… Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Tenten bowed and exited the office with her husband.

Tsunade had her eyes focused and her eyebrows furrowed on the only one left before her – Uchiha Sasuke, the criminal.

Sasuke was tied onto a chair with chains and ninja seals, which looked like talismans.

"This is the second time you turned your back to Konoha, Sasuke." Tsunade clasped her hands under her chin, her elbows resting on the table, "I don't know if I should strip you off your ninja benefits, rights and everything else in the topic. I don't know what to do with you. I don't know what's up with you."

Sasuke just glared at the floor.

"I'm… I'm completely taken back, Uchiha." Tsunade crossed her legs and crossed her arms on her chest, "You did it again! And my, did you do it worse. I can still remember what Sakura told me upon your return to Konoha after turning your back to us for the first time."

No response.

"She told me that you would never approach Orochimaru ever again because you got what you needed." Tsunade shrugged her shoulders, "I guess… you told her a lie because truth is… here you are… a criminal again in front of me."

Silence.

"I love the silence you give me as we speak, Uchiha. I appreciate that as a sign of respect to me. Seems like you still have manners left, after all."

If a pin falls, it will be heard loud and clear.

"How did Kashime arrest you?" Tsunade made it sound like a command rather than a question, "Speak."

"…"

"I said speak, damn it!" Tsunade was running out of patience.

"I… I surrendered myself." Sasuke said in a low tone.

"What a shameful way to get arrested but good choice." Tsunade remarked, "I'm astounded by that, Uchiha. Amazing! Surrender… I never knew you know such a word, no, action. Now, why did you surrender?"

"… I was guilty."

"Guilty? Hey Uchiha, are you kidding me?" Tsunade chuckled mockingly, "I mean, first, you surrendered and second, the reason is because you felt guilty! The heavens must be falling; it must be the end of the world!"

Silence.

"Why did you feel guilty?" Hokage asked.

No response.

"Never mind. Since you turned yourself over to us, Uchiha Sasuke," Tsunade read a document sent to her by the Judicial Council, "you are pleaded guilty by the Konohagakure Judicial Council for the cases of: Attempted murder of Haruno Sakura and Rock Lee, kidnapping Haruno Sakura, slaughtering citizens of Konoha in Kirigakure, slaughtering numerous Elite Anbus in Kirigakure and osing a threat to the whole of Konoha. You are therefore ordained by the judicial council to lifetime imprisonment."

Sasuke closed his eyes as he heard the verdict.

"However," Tsunade smiled, "because of your good behavior, I disproved the sanction to be given to you. Instead, I'm only going to send you to psychological and psychiatric therapy for a month and stripping you off of ninja benefits, tasks and rights while you're on the therapy."

Tsunade threw a kunai at the main seal of the chains tying Sasuke on the chair.

Sasuke stood up and bowed to the Hokage, "I accept the sanctions."

"Great, great." Tsunade gave him a folder, "Now read the contents of that one. It will tell you more about your psychological therapy sessions and scheduling."

Sasuke grabbed the folder and opened it, looking only at the pages, not really reading them.

"You may read them at home. Yes, I'm allowing you to stay in your residence… However, be noted that I do not give you my full trust yet… I ordered numerous Elite Leaf Anbus to keep an eye on your every move for a month. Some are even undercover. They are on close watch as we speak." Tsunade warned, "What you did to my student… I still don't find the heart to forgive you for what you did to her. Dismissed."

Sasuke motioned towards the door but Tsunade spoke, "What did you do to Sakura? How come the cursed seal that Orochimaru gave you was transferred to her? I just noticed that your curse was gone and it suddenly appeared on her. What did you do?"

"You have the scroll which she used to transfer the seal, Hokage." Sasuke replied, "I know the Anbus retrieved it from the warehouse. I just want you to know that I didn't force her to do as such. It was all her discretion to do so. Good day."

Sasuke walked out of the Hokage tower and as he walked on the streets, people can't help but glare at him and whisper something. Of course, Sasuke knew this. He just didn't react because he knew he would be in a more serious trouble. And besides, a genuine Uchiha Sasuke wouldn't care about eavesdropping on some people's fuss, right?

Sasuke entered the hospital and asked the nurses on the front desk where the room of Sakura is. Little did he know, Anbus undercover were already watching him. Once again, he knew this. How? Well, let's just say even though he's stripped off the ninja rights and strength, he still had the ninja instincts, right? He feels people with very strong chakra eyeing him, even from a distance.

Upon reaching the room of Sakura…

"Hey." A low feminine voice greeted, "Why aren't you arrested?"

It was Ino and her new husband, Nara Shikamaru. He overheard Neji and Tenten in their conversation on the ship that they were married a few days ago. Ino even cried after her wedding, reasoning out that she wanted Sakura to witness her wedding as well and cursed Sasuke for her absence. Shikamaru calmed her down, nonetheless.

"Hokage's orders." He simply replied.

Ino sighed and smiled sadly, "She didn't wake up yet. You don't know how much it hurts me to see my best friend like this… and you, the criminal, visiting your victim like she was on her deathbed… I really can't blame you. Kakashi-sensei dropped by here a while ago and told us that Sakura is now under this condition because it was her decision."

Sasuke just eyed his ex-fiancée sleeping on the hospital bed, like she will never wake up.

"You just don't know how much she loves you… I think she will love you even until the very last moment." Ino started crying, "Too bad… You didn't love her back."

Shikamaru hugged Ino and said, "That's enough, Ino."

"Damn, why didn't Sakura love Sai instead of Sasuke? I mean, Sai's a little more on the bright side, right? I somehow knew that Sai liked Sakura and that she was growing a little infatuated with him after the first time Sasuke betrayed Konoha…"

"_I heard of him… That Sai."_ Sasuke thought as he stared at the woman he secretly loved, _"I heard he was my replacement at the moment I was gone. I never met him though… If I would, then maybe I might beat the holy crap out of him… wait where did that come from? And why the hell am I going to beat the crap out of him?"_

Just then, Sakura's eyes shot open.

"Sakura! She's awake!" Ino stood up from the bench and hurriedly approached her best friend.

However, Sakura quickly sat up and had Shosen Jutsu emitting on her hands. Her eyes were different… And the cursed seal was spreading all over her body.

Her eyes tell of a bloodthirsty killer… a predator wanting, waiting, craving for prey.

Sakura's eyes were not as green as they were when she hadn't taken hold of the curse – they were paler and her pupils were narrowed.

She eyed Sasuke and grabbed him by the collar; she immediately raised her right hand to grab his throat with that deadly Shosen Jutsu flowing through her hands.

Sasuke closed his eyes for impact. He was sanctioned not to fight back… he was not a ninja anymore; he's not one at the moment.

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- --- ---

**Sakura attempts to kill Sasuke. Ino finds two Anbus in the hospital and reports to them what was going on. The two Anbus made their way to Sakura's room. Sakura accidentally kicks the mask of an Anbu, making the mask fall onto the floor and shatter. When Sakura saw the face of the Anbu, she calmed down. Who could he be?**

**Next up, on Homebound: _Bloodthirsty_**

"_**Hello, Sakura. It's been a while. You've been ugly as ever."**_

**-Sai**

**_A/N:_ Yes people, the next chapter will be the debut of Sai (and Yamato)! And the love triangle starts there! Anyway, as for those who don't like Sai, I can't blame you and I'm sorry but it's really for the betterment of SasuSaku. You gotta put a big twist into the story! And hey, if Sai wasn't there, my plot for Homebound will be ruined and it will end soon with a pointless reason, and a pointless, pathetic reason, now, we don't want that, right?**

**To be honest with you guys, I don't like Sai for being so foul-mouthed and his err… apparel makes him look gay. However, I seriously think that he is not as stoic as Sasuke. The good part of Sai is that he knows how to smile always and everyday, even without reason.**

**Don't forget to drop a review!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	47. Bloodthirsty

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday. Also, I would like to thank sweet-angel09 for giving me enough information about Sai and Yamato._**

**_UPDATES!_ Finished brushing up the grammar in Chapter 56, which will utilize the song _Headstrong_ by Trapt. Anyway, I'm just grabbing a bit of rest from writing Homebound for just a bit, doing other things like my original fiction, which is posted on Fictionpress and plotting lots of stories for this vacation (April-1st week of June). I'm just back to the drawing boards for Homebound, you know, trying to make it a little bit better…**

**_ATTENTION ALL NEJITEN FANS!_ I have released my newest NejiTen oneshot, entitled _Imperfection in 360 Degrees of Eyesight_. You can read it when you go to my profile page and just click away.**

**_ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT:_ I'm proud to tell you that I have released my original story, located in Fictionpress -dot- com, entitled _Bus Stop_. Somehow, it does tell of my life story but _Bus Stop_ features a love story that was unwanted yet becomes wanted. Hehehehe… So you can just check it out there.**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Sakura! She's awake!" Ino stood up from the bench and hurriedly approached her best friend.

However, Sakura quickly sat up and had Shosen Jutsu emitting on her hands. Her eyes were different… And the cursed seal was spreading all over her body.

Her eyes tell of a bloodthirsty killer… a predator wanting, waiting, craving for prey.

Sakura's eyes were not as green as they were when she hadn't taken hold of the curse – they were paler and her pupils were narrowed.

She eyed Sasuke and grabbed him by the collar; she immediately raised her right hand to grab his throat with that deadly Shosen Jutsu flowing through her hands.

Sasuke closed his eyes for impact. He was sanctioned not to fight back… he was not a ninja anymore; he's not one at the moment.

**(Chapter 47 – Bloodthirsty)**

"Have you heard?" an Anbu asked his fellow Anbu while talking to the nurse on the receiving desk of the hospital, "Sakura transferred the cursed seal that Orochimaru gave to Sasuke onto her. I heard it from the Hokage, herself."

"What about it?" asked the other Anbu, who wore a belly shirt with long sleeves; however, his left sleeve was up. He also wore hipster pants, and a katana was strapped onto his back. He had brown hair and he was wearing black from head to toe.

"Sai, you still don't care about Sakura?" the taller Anbu asked his companion.

"C'mon, Yamato. Why would I care about someone as ugly as Sakura?" Sai replied.

"Sai!" Yamato half-scolded.

"It's my opinion." Sai replied, "There's freedom constitution here in Konoha. Why not say something personal?"

"Sheesh, you never change do you?" Yamato shook his head from left to right.

"So, what are we doing here, by the way?" Sai asked.

"Nothing in particular." Yamato raised his index finger, trying to note something, "Just paying a visit to Sakura."

Then, they saw a blonde-haired woman running towards the receiving desk; her face tells the two Anbus that she was troubled.

"Please… Get some security in Haruno Sakura's room! She's gone berserk!" It was Nara Ino, panting as she told the two, knowing that they were Anbus and they were the right persons to ask for help at this critical point.

Yamato and Sai quickly ran towards Sakura's room and were shocked to see that Sakura was different – she seemed bloodthirsty. She was held on the spot by Shikamaru, who had performed his Kage Mane no Jutsu to stop Sakura's attack from killing Sasuke, who also froze on the spot. Sasuke and Sakura's shadow was under Shikamaru's control, but it seems like the 200 I.Q. ninja cannot hold the shadows any longer.

Yamato pinned down Sakura using his own weight against hers.

"Do something!" Yamato exclaimed at Sai.

Sai got out a scroll and a paintbrush and started drawing something.

"Hurry up!" Yamato shouted.

Sai set down the scroll on the floor and he performed handseals, "Ninpou: Chojuu Giga!"

Then, the drawing on the scroll, a snake, coiled around Sakura and bound her on the bed, helpless. However, the snake had not fully tied Sakura's legs and she was kicking around… And she had kicked Sai's mask.

Sai's mask dropped down on the floor, shattering into many pieces, for it was made of porcelain.

Sakura seemed to have calmed down at the sight of Sai's face. Sasuke also stared at Sakura's sudden calmness when she saw Sai's face. Sasuke does not know Sai, nor has he met him… or had any idea that it was this man who calmed Sakura down.

Sai smiled, like always and told Sakura, "Hello, Sakura. It's been a while. You've been ugly as ever."

"S-Sa… S-Sa…." Sakura murmured.

Sai placed his hand over Sakura's mouth and said, "You just broke my mask. I'm not letting you blow my identity as an Anbu. Just don't say my name."

When he had lifted up his hand, Sakura closed her eyes and whispered, "You're…annoy…ing…as…ever…"

Then she took in some air and another word came out, but it was unclear because her breath was in it, "…Sai…"

And for Sai, of course he heard that.

"I'll call your master." Sai looked at the now, sleeping Sakura, "…You need to be tamed."

"Idiot… just…leave…me…" Sakura was still awake and eyed Sai, "Please… I…can…not…con…trol…my…self… Please… before…I…hurt…any…one…else..."

Yamato placed a hand on Sai's shoulder and said, "Let's go."

After they left and Sasuke was sure that Sakura was well asleep, he had asked Shikamaru, who was resting on a chair, "Who was that guy?"

Shikamaru smirked, "You don't want to know. Somehow, he became part of her life when you followed Orochimaru."

Sasuke had this new feeling inside him… the feeling of jealousy. However he dismissed the new emotion and sighed, "How important was he?"

"Not that important." Shikamaru replied, "Trust me, he's one of the most annoying persons I met."

"And what is his name?"

"It's classified information if I say the name of a registered Anbu." Shikamaru told him, "Sorry but you do know the rules, right? I mean, you were Anbu before… You should know that anyone who says an Anbu's real name shall be punished."

An hour later, in Sai's house…

Sai and Yamato had reported to Tsunade about Sakura's current condition. However, memories have been flashing back in Sai's mind… memories of Sakura.

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

Sakura sat on a riverbank, with knees on her chest; she leaned her head on them and cried. It was sunset and the team had split up. Actually, they were lost.

Sakura ended up in a trap hole and she only managed to escape when Sai passed by. Naruto and Yamato also went their separate paths, due to some unwanted enemies surrounding the area.

They were scouting for Sound nins, and apparently, there are. After Sai took Sakura out from the trap hole, they've been scouting together.

Sai was walking around the area for any signs of foes. Sakura demanded rest, so Sai told her that he'll meet up with her there, on the riverbank. The mission though, for Sakura, was making her remember such memories of Sasuke.

… Most especially that Sai is an almost equivalent of Sasuke.

At least, Sai knows how to smile even without reason – something the Uchiha Sasuke cannot do. It's just that, the way he talks reminded her of Sasuke. He was as stoic as him. He sort of looks like Sasuke. And the presence of Sound nins were irritating Sakura – she can't help but think that one of these nins might be Sasuke.

There, she sat helpless, crying. All those extreme training and learning under Tsunade had made her incredibly strong. However, memories of the Uchiha prodigy made her weak. She still loved him, even though Tsunade tells her that loving a traitor like him makes her a traitor as well.

A fist-sized rock sat beside her. Irritated, annoyed and angry, she picked up the rock and crushed it using only one fist, pulverizing it into dust, only proving that she has inherited Tsunade's monstrous strength.

"I HATE YOU!" Sakura screamed in frustration, throwing the dust into the river, some of which mixing with the air.

"You hate the river." A masculine voice reached her ears, "You can just tell me if you want to rest in a cave instead."

Sakura turned her head and saw Sai walking towards her and sat beside her.

"I hate him… I hate him… I hate him… I hate him so much… He left me…" she mumbled out.

Sai stared at her in the corner of his eyes and looked at the sunset skies.

"I can't blame you." He told her, "You love him. But if I were you, I'll just do what Tsunade told me and forget about that bastard."

"What? Love!" Sakura shouted at him, "You don't even know how to love! How dare you say such thing as that when you don't know anything about it!"

Sai smiled, "I might not know love, but I do know sadness and torment. Now, based from what I see in you, love is nothing but sadness and suffering."

Sakura stared at him and hugged him, lunging at him, both of them falling on the grassy riverbank.

"… Help me." She told him, "Help me forget Sasuke-kun… Help me love you…"

And for once, the emotionless Sai felt that he was slowly falling for this woman hugging him. Not knowing what to do, he wrapped his arms around her. He might have fallen hard for her.

"I'll try to help you love me…" Sai spoke, "… just let me feel, help me know the feeling called, 'love'."

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

Sai lay down on his bed and placed his head under his pillow and groaned in frustration.

"Did I really love her? Did I learn how to love?" Sai whispered as he closed his eyes.

_TBC…_

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**Sasuke contemplates on the identity of that Anbu, whose face calmed down the berserk Sakura. Sai checks his feelings if he still had a heart for the pink-haired kunoichi. His new emotions had taken him into a more severe case of loneliness. Witness, as Sai flashes back his memories… his memories of Sakura.**

**Homebound, Chapter 48: _The Day You Said Goodnight_**

"_**Take it easy. Just get over Sakura…It's been years, Sai..."**_

**-Yamato**

_**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:**_

**Is Sai really a character from Naruto?**

**Yes, to those of you who do not know, Sai is really a character from Naruto. So if you're looking for him in the series, you won't find him there YET. He first debuted in Naruto II of the manga, specifically in Chapter 281 (or so my sources of information says), although I'm not sure if he debuted with Yamato.**

**Sai was a member of the ANBU-Ne (ROOT Anbus), which was headed by an elder named Danzou. As a member of the ANBU-NE, he is forced to leave behind his past, his memories, his emotions and even his very name. He also had a brother but he died. Sai doesn't remember anything from his past and he is emotionless, though he smiles without reason. He is the replacement of Uchiha Sasuke in Team 7.**

**Yamato is an Anbu in the Naruto manga, whose records stood out. Aside from the Shodai Hokage, he can use the Mokuton (Wood Release) ninjutsus. He was genetically experimented by Orochimaru. Out of Orochimaru's experiment with 60 children implanted with the Shodai Hokage's DNA, Yamato was the only one who survived, the 59 other children died. However, he was proven loyal to Konoha. He is placed in Team 7 as Hatake Kakashi's replacement.**

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**_A/N:_ So, the next chapter will be using the song, _The Day You Said Goodnight_, by the Filipino band, Hale. It's a wonderful song… It's a sad song, actually. I was so moved by it when I first heard this song on its debut last year. Anyway, expect that Sai will be OOC. And for the next chapter, you will see a very different Sai, because, like I said, he will show emotions he had never shown before.**

**_The Day You Said Goodnight_ is still available. PM me or include in your reviews if you want a copy sent to your emails.**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	48. The Day You Said Goodnight

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday. Also, I would like to thank sweet-angel09 for giving me enough information about Sai and Yamato._**

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**_UPDATES!_ Just finished Chapter 59, where Sasuke ponders on a certain pink-haired kunoichi. Anyway, I'll start editing Chapters 57 – 59. And Chapter 56 will be using a song entitled _Headstrong_ by Trapt. It's a rock song. It's not yet available (if you want me to send it to you) but it might be next week. I'll start writing Chapter 60 after editing Chapters 57 – 59.**

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**ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT ! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!_  
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**_NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC (MUST-READ):_ Okay, so the author of a story entitled, "When the Cherry Blossom Falls" is being alarmed by Homebound's plotline. And yes, some of you have been telling me that you've read a conflict similar to Homebound and I've been told by the author of the coincidental story, too. As you may notice, we have the same conflicts, only a bit of differences. And the author of that story has been telling me that she's getting nervous about her plotline and about mine too. So, let me tell you this now: IT WAS JUST COINCIDENCE. Before I even knew the author of that story or even heard about it, the idea of Sakura's curse is an ORIGINAL from the plotline. I was shocked when I heard from the author that we have the same plotlines. So don't point an accusing finger to me or to the author of "When the Cherry Blossom Falls" for plagiarism. There's no bad thing about coincidences. I DIDN'T STEAL HER PLOTLINE, NOR DID SHE STEAL MINE. The author of that story requested me to do something about it, so here it is. I hope we get things clear.**

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**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ It would be best if you have the song _The Day You Said Goodnight _ (by Hale) playing while reading this chapter.**

** So, without any further ado...**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

Sai lay down on his bed and placed his head under his pillow and groaned in frustration.

"Did I really love her? Did I learn how to love?" Sai whispered as he closed his eyes.

**(Chapter 48 – The Day You Said Goodnight)**

Sasuke returned in his home. It used to be the place where he and Sakura lived, but now, this house is all just for him. And the house seemed cold, just like his house in the closed Uchiha Section in Konoha. He missed the warmth of the house – Sakura.

He placed the folder on the coffee table in the living room. The whole house was spotless… probably because Tsunade ordered some people to prepare the house for him. He sat on the sofa and remembered how Sakura looked like a while ago, when she attempted to kill him.

She was… bloodthirsty. However, that guy… When Sakura accidentally broke the mask of that Anbu, when she looked at him, she calmed down. Who could he be? Shikamaru said he's not that important.

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. Could that person be someone who replaced him in Sakura's heart when he betrayed Konoha for the first time?

He fisted his hands in anger and groaned in frustration – he was jealous all right. He was also afraid… afraid that that person might have shown Sakura love, a love he, himself, hadn't shown. That person might have shared a part of his life with her; Sakura might have shared a part of her life with him, too. Sakura might have loved him better than Sasuke.

Sasuke rubbed his temples as his blood boiled in annoyance with that Anbu. Trying to amuse himself, he opened the folder Tsunade gave him and started reading.

Meanwhile…

Sai sat on the roof of his house, his knees on his chest and looking at the horizon.

_Take me as you are,  
Push me off the road, the sadness,  
I need this time to be with you_

"Having a bad day?" a familiar voice rang through Sai's ears.

"Not really." Sai replied, "Your time off is not until 2 hours. Why are you here? You're supposed to be in the headquarters right now."

_I'm freezing in the sun;  
I'm burning in the rain  
the silence;  
I'm screaming,  
calling out your name_

Yamato took off his mask and sat beside Sai, and asked, "Some part of you wants her back, huh?"

Sai didn't respond. Yamato knew what he was thinking of – Sakura.

"She taught you how to love; now that's amazing." Yamato told him, "However, she loved Sasuke more, but you still can't get over her. Still, you amuse yourself by calling her ugly."

"Now I know how it feels like when love fails you." Sai spoke, "It hurts."

_And I do reside in your light  
Put out the fire with me and find  
Yeah you'll lose the side of your circles  
that's what I'll do if we say goodbye_

"It's your time off." Yamato said, "But don't forget that you have to report for duty in the headquarters. You have an hour left."

Sai didn't reply but Yamato took that as a 'yes'. Yamato wore his mask and continued, "Take it easy. Just get over Sakura."

"It's not that easy." He answered.

"It's been years, Sai. Get over it." And with that, Yamato left.

_To be is all I gotta be  
And all that I see  
And all that I need this time  
To me the life you gave me  
The day you said goodnight_

The memories still haunted Sai. It was that year when he learned to love Sakura. She was fifteen years old when she also learned to love Sai. But that was some 5 years ago. And when she was sixteen… Sasuke returned to Konoha. When Sasuke was released from the Anbu custody after 6 months, he started courting Sakura, without knowing that she was in good terms with Sai.

And for another 6 months, Sakura's love for Sasuke grew and her love for Sai became inferior. Sakura had to end her relationship with Sai and go with her heart – Sasuke. Sai understood, after all, he was just a substitute for Sasuke. Every substitute will be replaced by the original, sooner or later.

… And for Sai, it was bitter. Fate once again turns on him, making him lonely once more. It was unfair for him… he wanted to be with Sakura, forever.

_The calmness in your face  
that I see through the night  
the warmth of your light is pressing unto us  
_

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

It has been a year when Sakura and Sai had a secret relationship with each other. It has been so secret that not even Naruto knows about it. Who knows about it? Well, Yamato does. Yamato was always a keen observer. He was somehow Sai's best friend, too.

Yamato was still the replacement for Kakashi in Team 7, ordered by Tsunade, even after a year. Sai will remain on Team 7 until Sasuke returns. And his stay was somehow appreciated by Sakura. The only one who didn't appreciate him was Naruto.

Of course, no one could substitute Naruto's 'brother' with such a foul-mouthed guy like Sai. But there is one thing that Naruto noticed with Sai – he actually lessened his foul choice of words. Little did he know, it was perhaps because of Sakura's influence on Sai.

_You didn't ask me why  
I never would have known  
Oblivion is falling down_

Sai was supposed to meet up with Sakura on the Konoha Bridge. They were going out today. However, she was already 10 minutes late. And he wondered: Sakura was always on time. Then, he saw a lot of people rushing towards the south Konoha gate.

"Uchiha Sasuke's back!" some people shouted.

And he heard those words. He felt his gut move around and his throat run dry. He felt that something bad was going to happen.

_And I do reside in your light  
Put out the fire with me and find  
Yeah you'll lose the side of your circles  
that's what I'll do if we say goodbye_

He walked his way towards the gate and when he made his way through the crowds, he saw Sakura hugging Sasuke. She was crying and told him, "You're home!"

He didn't hug her back, but he did close his eyes.

"I finally did it." He told Sakura, "I paralyzed my brother... something that would torment him forever."

"You killed him?" Sakura asked with shock in her eyes.

"I said I paralyzed him. It's better than killing him." He smirked, "That way, he would atone for his grave sins. That way, he would know who's weaker now."

_To be is all I gotta be  
And all that I see  
And all that I need this time  
To me the life you gave me  
The day you said goodnight  
_

Tsunade then approached the two.

"Sakura, move over." Tsunade commanded, "I'm placing Uchiha Sasuke under strict custody with the Anbus. They're going to take care of you. You're going to be in their dungeons for 6 months. I bet that's enough time for you to think over what wrong have you done, idiot."

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura went in front of Sasuke and begged her mentor, "At least let me mend his wounds!"

"Fine then." Tsunade told her, "But I do expect him by tomorrow morning in the Anbu Headquarters' dungeons. If not, then I will turn against you – even if you are my apprentice."

"Apprentice? You?" Sasuke eyed Sakura, "You're destined to be the next Hokage?"

"I'm not the successor yet! I'm just Tsunade-sama's student." Sakura smiled as she grabbed Sasuke's wrist and made their way to her house.

Sai watched every second. His mind was confused. His heart was crushed.

_If you could only know me like your prayers at night  
then everything between you and me will be all right_

Tsunade visited Sakura in her house. Sai also happened to be in her house. It has been a week after Sasuke's return in Konoha. Apparently, she was there to announce to Sakura that there was a change of verdict for Sasuke from the Judicial Council.

"No, Tsunade-sama! Sasuke would never approach Orochimaru ever again! That's because he got what he wanted! He got his power, his strength! He made Uchiha Itachi suffer enough! Please, don't sentence him to death!" Sakura begged, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Very well then." Tsunade turned on her heel and spoke before she left the house, "I'm listening to you this time, Sakura, so be grateful. But if something goes wrong, you'll be sorry."

Sai felt jealous. He also felt insecure about what's going to happen to him and Sakura. It looks like their relationship was going down the drain.

_To be is all I gotta be  
And all that I see  
And all that I need this time  
To me the life you gave me  
The day you said goodnight  
_

"I'm sorry Sai." Sakura apologetically told Sai. It has been 6 months since Sasuke's release from the Anbu Headquarters.

It was winter in Konoha. And the snow falls gently around the town.

"I love Sasuke," Sakura continued, "but that doesn't mean I didn't love you. Sai, I loved you, but not as much as I loved Sasuke."

"I… understand." Sai fought back his tears. He felt like a wimp. He felt defeated. He felt alone… again.

Sakura hugged him, "But we're still going to be friends. I'll never forget how much you meant to me, Sai."

Sai hugged Sakura tightly, one last time. It was over for them.

_She's already taken,  
She's already taken  
She's already taken me  
She's already taken,  
She's already taken  
She's already taken me…  
_

Sakura's 20 years old now. And news reached Sai that she was staying at Rock Lee's place for safety measures. He heard from Naruto that Sasuke left Konoha again and probably became an underling for Orochimaru once more. He also heard from Yamato that Sakura broke up her engagement with Sasuke, the day before Sasuke left Konoha.

Sai asked Sakura to meet up with him on the Konoha Bridge. It might be his second chance with her – now might be the right time. Sakura told Lee that she was just going to meet up with an old friend of hers and that he doesn't need to escort her this time.

"Give me another chance, Sakura." Sai asked Sakura.

Sakura was staring at the new moon and the starry sky. She sighed and looked at the calm waters below.

"I'm sorry Sai." Sakura told him, "I can't get Sasuke out of my mind."

Sai felt rejected again. He stared at her with such sad eyes.

"… But I love you!"

"I'm really sorry." Sakura smiled at him and left him alone on the bridge, "Goodnight Sai."

_The day you said goodnight…_

Sai's eyes welled up and he gritted his teeth. He lost to Sasuke again, even if he walked out of Sakura's life.

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

Sai stood up and shook the thought off his head. He went back inside his house and dressed up. He opened a drawer from his cabinet and took out a mask and wore it to conceal his face.

He has to go back to duty earlier than expected… to forget his sadness.

…And that was the truth behind his smiles.

_TBC…_

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**Tsunade pays a visit to her student, the news about her worsening condition reaching her only after a few days, instead of hearing it immediately. Tsunade is rather horrified at the sight of her student, blindfolded and tied with leather belts on a bed, restraining her from any movements. She wakes up her apprentice and manages to have a chat with her. However, Sakura couldn't keep herself at will anymore… She turns into a monster.**

**Next up: _Demised Will_**

"…_**I'm trying my best to find a cure… Sakura, I promise I'll heal you…"**_

**-Tsunade**

**_A/N:_ Was this chapter saddening? Anyway, the next chapter will be an emotional one for the teacher and her student. Also expect a whole new Sakura here, and brace yourselves, for the real test of SasuSaku is about to arrive.**

**Reviews please, and thank you!**

**+Releina Artemis+**

_**HAVE A HAPPY EASTER, EVERYONE!**_


	49. Demised Will

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday. Also, I would like to thank sweet-angel09 for giving me enough information about Sai and Yamato._**

**_UPDATES!_ I just finished making a very emotional Chapter 67 (SaiSaku) wherein Sai gets angry at Sakura for some reasons and she listens to her mistakes. Anyway, I just finished editing Chapters 60 – 67. I'll be adding the final touches to Chapters 65 – 66 (or even 67 as soon as 68 is done) shortly. I'll start writing Chapter 68 soon… I'll be on a break for a while, to cool off and gather ideas.**

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**(Chapter 49 – Demised Will)**

News struck Tsunade after a few days that Sakura had gone insane. The doctors apologetically explained that they didn't tell her earlier because they wanted to handle the situation by themselves first… but it became too hard to handle.

Tsunade came quickly to see Sakura. She heard from the nurses that an Anbu reported the situation. She didn't give a damn who the Anbu was; all she cared about was Sakura.

Much to the 5th Hokage's surprise, Sakura was tied on the bed with strong leather belts restraining her wrists, her ankles, her elbows, her thighs, her waist and even her neck from mobility. She was also blindfolded.

"What the…" Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

"We're very sorry for doing this to your student but… we have no choice!" the nurse who guided Tsunade to the room bowed apologetically, "She tried to kill the doctors, the other nurses, and the guests! The Anbus who visited her once tied her down with strong ropes but she was able to break free from those binds."

"Did she kill anyone?" Tsunade traced the marks of tears on her student's face.

"Almost." The nurse almost hesitantly said, "She almost killed my friend who was going to check up on her. Miss Haruno used Shosen Jutsu and struck her vital organs. The medic nins injected paralyzing drugs on Miss Haruno's body and healed my friend. They said that she was going to be all right, although she would stay on the hospital bed for a month because her vital organs were really damaged. And as for Miss Haruno… The medic nins later brought in a bed with leather belts and fastened her on that bed while she was still paralyzed."

"She was blindfolded because it would lessen her aggressiveness. If she sees someone, she would want to kill that person. But we had observed that ever since we had blindfolded her, she had been less aggressive." The nurse continued.

"You may leave now." Tsunade told the nurse.

The nurse bowed respectfully and got out of the room.

Tsunade tapped Sakura's cheeks, "Oi, wake up."

Then, at that very moment, Sakura woke up and tried to wiggle out her wrists from the strong grip of the leather belt.

Tsunade watched in horror as she saw the bruise marks around her elbows, wrists, ankles and thighs. She must have been trying to wiggle out of those binds ever since she was tied on the bed.

"What are you doing, Sakura?" Tsunade spoke.

And at the very second Sakura heard her mentor's voice, she calmed down. And then, tears flowed down her face even though blindfolded.

"Tsu…na…de…sa…ma…" Sakura bellowed.

"Why do you do so much for the Uchiha?" Tsunade sighed, "He already surrendered himself to our custody."

"I'm…sor…ry…" the pink-haired woman tried her best to speak.

The cursed seal of Orochimaru glowed and started spreading throughout her body. But then, it went back to its origin.

"Fighting it back, Sakura?"

"I…don't…want…to…be…ber-bers…berserk…"

"You turned yourself into a monster."

"Please…help…m-me…"

Tsunade sighed and looked away. She can't stand to watch as her student try to fight off some suffering that she brought upon herself.

"I heard from Yamato that you tried to kill Uchiha." Tsunade said.

"The…curse…tells…me…to…to…do…s-so…" she replied.

"I heard from Yamato that you broke Sai's mask. You calmed down when you saw him. Why?" Tsunade then snickered a bit, "That Yamato tells everything he could, concerning Team 7."

Sakura did not reply. She bit her lips and swallowed hard.

"Do you still love Sai, Sakura?" Tsunade also knew her student's relationship with Sai.

Sakura's tears continuously rolled down her cheeks, like river flowing eternally.

"Is Sai the one in your heart right now?"

"I'll…n-n-ne-never…for…get…Sai…he…was…s-spe-special…" she finally answered.

"Sakura, choose. Sai or Sasuke." Tsunade crossed her arms.

"Sa…Sasuke…kun…I…hope…h-he's…d-doing…fine…"

Godaime Hokage was rather shocked at Sakura's reply. She wants to kill him, yet she loves him. It must be really hard for her.

"Sai isn't feeling well the past few days." The older woman informed, "He was overworking at the Anbu Headquarters. He also caught himself under the rain when he was scouting at the outskirts of Konoha. He was given this week off. He has to rest. Is he visiting you?"

"N-no…"

"That's not a surprise anymore. He's so sick that he wouldn't want to leave his house or stand up for five minutes."

"Take…care…of…of…S-Sai…" then a smile tugged at Sakura's lips, "He's…really…like…t-that…when…h-he…gets…sick…"

At the sight of that smile coming from Sakura, Tsunade smiled too.

"Sasuke has been doing well in his psychological and psychiatric therapies." Tsunade informed once more, "His psychologists have been reporting to me his good conducts recently and his willingness to change. His psychiatrists said he turned berserk because of deep depression. They're trying their best to get him back to normal. I can see the improvements, too… since he was starting to somehow change back to his old careless self. You know… those days, Team 7 as preteens… Do you still remember, Sakura?"

Sakura's smile was washed off. She was saddened. Tsunade understood that she wanted to be with Sasuke, although it was difficult. If Sasuke was there right now, Sakura will attempt to kill him against her will.

"Are you all right, Sakura?" Tsunade fought back her tears as she said through gritted teeth, "I'm trying my best to find a cure. I just have to know what ingredient is appropriate to mix with an extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato… Sakura, I promise I'll heal you… However, it just takes time."

"I…real..ly… a-appreciate…t-that…" the younger woman managed to speak.

"Sakura, don't die just yet!" Tsunade finally broke down and clenched her fists, "Don't die…"

"I…won't…" Sakura smiled, "I…am…your…stu…dent…"

Tsunade remembered Dan and Nawaki, and then Naruto, who didn't give up… and then her student, her 'daughter', Sakura…

"Tsu…na…de…sa…ma…" Sakura managed to shake her head slowly, "I…can't…fight…it…any…more…I…I…my…will…"

Sakura cleared her throat and continued, "I…can't…move…my…body…at…will…any…more…"

Tsunade eyed her with confusion and worry and yelled, "FIGHT IT, SAKURA! FIGHT OFF THE CURSE!"

"I…I'm…sor…ry…" Then, Sakura was silenced when the cursed seal took over her body.

Tsunade can't stand it anymore. She got out of the room and ran as fast as she could until she reached the backyard of the hospital. Hopefully, no one was there.

The 5th Hokage punched the trunk of a tree, making a deep hole in it, and cried helplessly. She has to do something. She still has plans for her student. She wanted Sakura to have a bright future with her teachings. But it seemed impossible right now… for Haruno Sakura to survive.

_TBC…_

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**Sai is sick and he is updated by two people he considered irritating – Yamato and Naruto. Their names sounded much like twins, and they did give him more of the 'twin' splitting headache. He is further updated by what's going on in Konoha by Yamato and is somehow relieved by Naruto's silly antics.**

**Coming up next: _Sick, Sicker and Better_**

"_**I bought you some ramen from Ichiraku. I ordered the most special one!"**_

**-Uzumaki Naruto******

**_A/N:_ So the next chapter will be what I would like to call a 'relief chapter'. It's a chapter that rests confusion through slight silly antics. Anyway, Sakura did mention that Sai immediately gets to the worst point when sick. Let's see how worse his day will be when two talkative people visit him to make him sicker. XD

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_**FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:**_

**Why did Sasuke leave Konoha for the second time?**

**-sighs- The second time Sasuke left Konoha was when he was after Sakura, remember? And here I thought you understood the story from the very start. That was just heartbreaking. –Sighs- Okay, for those of you who understood Sai's flashback (from Chapter 48), well, good for you and I hail you for that.**

**Now for those who asked me this question, Sai mentioned that Sakura had stayed in Lee's place for safety purposes, and it was also mentioned there that Sasuke had left Konoha for the second time, right? Let's see if we can answer this FAQ with Q&A.**

**Q: Why was Sakura in Kirigakure?  
A: Because it was recommended that she stayed there.  
Q: Why?  
A: Because Sasuke was chasing her.  
Q: For what reason?  
A: She broke up her engagement with him.  
Q: And the reason?  
A: He said he didn't love her.  
Q: So?  
A: Orochimaru manipulated Sasuke and activated his cursed seal.  
Q: Then?  
A: Sasuke lost his mind and began chasing Sakura to kill her.**

**-sighs- See how the pieces from the past chapters of Homebound connect with the events with Sai's story and the recent chapters? It's all about analogy. I sure do hope this explanation refreshes your minds and clicks all the dead lights up.**

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But anyway... That's okay! **

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**By the way, here's the update schedule for Homebound. If you have to see this again, just go to my profile. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me via PM.**

_**HOMEBOUND UPDATE SCHEDULES:**_  
**  
April 28 (Friday) Chapter 50 - Sick, Sicker and Better  
May 4 (Thursday) Chapter 51 - Star-crossed Day  
May 10 (Wednesday) Chapter 52 - Fighting Back  
May 16 (Tuesday) Chapter 53 - The Decision  
May 22 (Monday) Chapter 54 - Plotting Plans  
May 28 (Sunday) Chapter 55 - Ruthless Intelligence  
June 3 (Saturday) Chapter 56 - Headstrong  
June 9 (Friday) Chapter 57 - Solutions  
June 15 (Thursday) Chapter 58 - Hit the Floor  
June 21 (Wednesday) Chapter 59 - Taking Hints  
June 27 (Tuesday) Chapter 60 - Improper Payback**

**PLEASE BE NOTED THAT THE UPDATES IN JUNE MIGHT BE CHANGED SINCE I WILL BE BACK IN SCHOOL AND I'M PRETTY SURE I'LL BE BUSY. BUT SO FAR, THESE ARE THE ESTIMATED DATES ON HOMEBOUND'S CHAPTER UPDATES. (6 DAYS DIFFERENCES)**

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Review please!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	50. Sick, Sicker and Better

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

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**_APOLOGIES!_ I'm so sorry if I didn't follow the schedule! It's April 30 now and in the schedule, I said it's gonna be April 28. The reason for this is that my family told me that I have to go with them because my dad's brother is holding a party and he wanted us to be there. So I was away for the whole day, and I only got home at around 10:00 P.M. that night and I was so friggin' dizzy, so I went to sleep early (I'm nocturnal at summer, I sleep at either 1:00 A.M. or 2:00 A.M.). And then the site was down for the whole day in April 29 so, I have to do it today... SORRY! T.T But anyway, the next update will still be May 4th (just hope nothing will happen, okay? So no more late updates!)**

**_UPDATES!_ I just finished Chapter 70 and I'm recently writing Chapter 71.**

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**(Chapter 50 – Sick, Sicker and Better)**

Sai sneezed as he pulled the sheets closer to him and sandwiched his aching head in between his pillows. He wasn't getting any better. His temperature? A whopping 39.77 degrees Celsius. He could have made a world record with his high temperature.

He was already sweating and his skin was warmer than the usual to the touch. He was burning up. He was wearing a knitted, black, long-sleeved sweater and a pair of black pajamas. He was under 3 white comforters and he had closed all windows, except one and turned off the fan and the air conditioner in his room. Yet, he was still feeling cold, somewhat like he was in a freezer.

Sai's face looked like he was blushing, but his cheeks were colored red due to his burning temperature. He apparently had a runny nose and dry coughs, oh and a sore throat.

"DAMN IT!" he yelled as he shuffled his pillows and grabbed the ice bag from a bowl seated on his bedside table. He made the blue ice bag sit on his forehead, trying to soothe the hot, aching pain.

Then, he heard someone land near his open window. And it was Yamato, wearing his usual Anbu mask. Yamato entered Sai's room through the window and he took off his mask. He was bringing a basket of fruits.

"Feeling any better?" Yamato asked his 'best bud'.

"Do I look like I'm feeling any better?" Sai said in a mocking voice.

"You've been given the week off and not yet any better?" Yamato snickered, "That's what you get for overworking in the headquarters for extra 5 hours a day, 4 days in a row and on the 5th day, due to some inexplicable bad luck, you got caught under the heavy rain while scouting in Konoha. If you got caught under the rain, why didn't you get to the headquarters immediately?"

"I was trying to avoid the rain, damn it." Sai replied, burying his head under his pillow again.

"So if you were trying, how come you got **this** sick?"

"As you know, I can't go home while on duty." Sai's voice was kinda blurry under the pillows, but thank goodness, Yamato understood every word, "And when I got caught in the rain, I was running to go back to the headquarters immediately. I couldn't stay under a shed because people would get scared and question what an Anbu like me is doing there."

"Ahuh." Yamato quirked an eyebrow, "And then?"

"In the place where I was scouting, my house was just a few blocks away. I wanted to get here as soon as possible, but I knew I was still on duty and I have to report to the headquarters immediately… even if it's a kilometer away from where I was."

"Let's see, you've got high temperature, a splitting headache, a runny nose, dry coughs and sore throat. Got a tummy ache?" Yamato laughed, "Just kidding!"

"Har-har. Not making me any better, Yamato." Sai threw a pillow at Yamato.

The elite Anbu evaded the pillow and childishly harangued, "Hey! You got your colds virus all over that thing! Are you trying to get me sick, too!"

"It's gonna be fun watching you in my situation." Sai smiled, "And that was no joke. I'm serious."

"Har-har. I'll wipe that smile off your face." Yamato grabbed the thermometer on the bedside table and stuffed it in Sai's mouth, "Tsunade-sama told me to bring you these fruits and check your temperature. She'll be here to try to make you feel better later on. She's busy at the moment."

Sai groaned and sat up, pushing the sheets away from him a bit and crossed his arms.

After a minute, Sai took out the thermometer and looked at his temperature. He then gave it to Yamato.

"38.5. Hey, your temperature dropped down!" Yamato cheered, "Your temperature yesterday was off the charts but at least, you're way a degree better today, right?"

"Hn." Sai fell back onto his bed, "How's the ugly Sakura?"

Yamato's smile turned upside down and shook his head, "She's not feeling any better. Actually, she's gone worse. Remember when I told you that she was strapped on a bed with leather belts and blindfolded? Well, she still is."

Sai looked worried.

"Tsunade-sama told me she was able to talk to Sakura and at that time, Sakura lost control on the curse and it took over her completely." Yamato stood up and looked at the wall clock.

The elite Anbu wore his mask and told Sai, "Sorry Sai, gotta go. Duty calls. Don't worry about her; Tsunade-sama is on her case. Get well soon, alright?"

Sai smiled and nodded, and with that, Yamato got out through the window and left.

A few hours later…

"I heard you weren't feeling well!" Naruto sat beside Sai.

"And?" Sai's eye twitched in irritation.

"Aww c'mon! Let's forget about the hatred in between us!" Naruto grinned sheepishly and showed him a plastic bag with a big plastic bowl in it, "I bought you some ramen from Ichiraku. I ordered the most special one!"

"Just put it there, I'll eat it later."

"It'll get cold!"

"JUST-PUT-THE-FRIGGIN'-RAMEN-THERE-ON-MY-BEDSIDE-TABLE-AND-I'LL-EAT-IT-LAAA-TERR." Sai said through gritted teeth and a vein popped out of his left temple.

"Yamato-taichou told me your temperature dropped!" Naruto cheered, "That's great to hear!"

"Now it just rose because of the sight of you." Sai smiled.

"What did you just say!"

"Oh nothing, nothing." Sai shrugged his shoulders, "You must be hearing things."

Silence fell between the former teammates.

"Heard about what happened to Sakura-chan?" Naruto suddenly changed the mood into a melancholy one.

Sai nodded and smiled, "Yamato told me Tsunade's on her case."

"It's that Sasuke-teme's entire fault!" Naruto yelled and clenched his fists, "However… I cannot force Sakura-chan to love somebody better… I guess Sasuke-teme was really the only one for her."

Sai's smile disappeared. He looked at the late afternoon skies and told the blonde, "Your wife's pregnant, right? You should go home. It's getting dark soon. She might worry and that's bad for her and your child's health."

Naruto tried to regain his composure.

Sai returned his gaze onto Naruto and smiled, "Don't worry about Sakura or that Sasuke. Everything's gonna be alright soon."

"Whoa! Since when have you become optimistic!" Naruto sweatdropped, jawdropped, freaked out and pointed his index finger at the sick person before him.

"Stop yelling, my ears are getting sick too! They're aching from your girly shrieks!" Sai scratched his left ear.

"What did you say!"

"What? Nothing!" Sai smiled, "Now go. I need some rest."

"Alright then!" Naruto approached the open window and said before he left, "Before you go to sleep, don't forget to eat the ramen I brought you, take a nice shower to cool down and wait for Tsunade-baachan. Yamato-taichou told me that Tsunade-baachan will come over and check on you. Get well soon!"

Then, Naruto left.

Sai stood up and closed the only open window in his room. He's not entertaining any more visitors except the next one, who was going to be his doctor, the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade.

Looks like he's going to take an advice from his blonde ex-teammate. He grabbed a towel from his cabinet and some clothes.

Smiling, he got out of his bedroom and went inside the bathroom, which was just next to his room.

Two loudmouths made his day better, made his health better, made him feel better.

Sai's ready to face the world again after he deals with his unhealthy condition.

… But right now, a shower would be nice.

_TBC…_

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**Sai recovers from his sickness and immediately goes back to duty. However, he decides to pay a visit to Sakura. And so, when he decides to pay a visit, another person coincidentally pays a visit to her – Uchiha Sasuke. These two ice princes collide for the first time and see what happens as Sasuke encounters the mysterious Anbu.**

**Homebound, Chapter 51: _Star-crossed Day_**

"_**And seeing that my words have stopped you, I presume that what I said were true."**_

**-Uchiha Sasuke**

**_A/N:_ Ooh… Sasuke meets Sai by accident! Will there be a fight? Will there be some debate? Will Sakura wake up and interfere their little confrontation? Hmm… you'll have to read the next chapter to know!**

**Reviews are highly appreciated!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	51. Starcrossed Day

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I just started Chapter 72 today. Yup, not much is being written recently since I'm to ease out for a while. It's my summer vacation anyway.

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**(Chapter 51 – Star-crossed Day)**

After 5 days of staying sick in bed, and 2 days of rest and recovery, Sai was healthy again. He was ready to go back to duty today. Wearing his mask and leaping off from roof to roof, he was headed towards the headquarters.

It was a fine day in Konoha, looks like he won't get caught in the rain. It sucks to get sick, well, that's for Sai. He wore his usual get-up, the black, long-sleeved belly shirt with the left sleeve rolled up, gloves, black hipster slacks, black sandals and a katana strapped onto his back. Let's not forget that he was complete with his standard weapon holsters and of course, the recently-added mask into the fashion.

He then saw the nearing heights of the Konoha Hospital, the Anbu Headquarters and the Hokage Tower. He focused his attention on the Konoha Hospital first. He stopped on a roof and thought for a while.

Then, he leapt off the roof and walked to the nearest flower shop – the Yamanaka flower shop.

He entered the shop and he was welcomed by the fragrant scent coming from the different flowers.

"Good morning! Welcome to the Yamanaka-" Ino greeted sweetly, but then her eyes grew as big as saucers as she eyed the customer, "What the hell are you doing here!"

Mrs. Nara Ino looked at the masked customer from head to toe… and yes, she knew…

"Hmm? Sai? What's he doing here?" apparently, Mrs. Nara's husband, Mr. Nara Shikamaru was also there, spraying water to the flowers from the back aisle.

"Do I look like a ghost to you? And is that the way you welcome your customers, lady?" Sai ALMOST snickered as he looked at the different flowers.

The Anbu gently smelled the scent of the red roses and looked at the pink tulips. He smiled beneath his mask and told Ino, "Hey lady, I want a basket full of pink tulips."

Ino quirked an eyebrow.

"Hey, do you want to do business here or not? I'm taking these flowers." Sai said, "I still have to go to work in 20 minutes, mind you."

"Ino, never mind who he is! He's a customer!" Shikamaru yelled from the back aisle.

Ino grinned as she carefully picked the pink tulips, "Dating someone?"

"Hurry up, lady." Sai ignored the question.

A vein popped out of Ino's temples as she adorned the pink tulips with clippings of small cherry blossom branches in the basket.

Sai paid for the flowers and left.

It was only a few minutes later when another customer came into the Yamanaka flower shop.

"Good morning! Welcome to the Yamanaka-" Ino sweetly greeted and then again was cut off at the sight of the customer.

Her eyes narrowed and her feet froze. Even Shikamaru from the back aisle froze when he saw the customer.

It was Uchiha Sasuke.

In the hospital…

Sai placed the basket of flowers on Sakura's bedside table. He sat beside the sleeping, blindfolded and restrained Sakura.

"Hey ugly, how are you?" Sai whispered.

She did not reply for she was asleep.

Sai observed the black fire-like marks all over Sakura's body. She was cursed.

"_If only you never ran back to that Uchiha, then you won't have to suffer like this."_ Sai thought as he clasped his hands under his chin, elbows on his knees.

"The Hokage told Yamato who told me that you told the Hokage that I instantly get to the worst degree when sick. Did you get that?" Sai snickered slightly, "It's like this: you told the Hokage that it's bad for me to get sick, and she told Yamato and he told me. Kinda twisted, huh?"

Sai smiled a sad smile beneath his mask. He looked at his feet, trying hard not to cry. No, it's been months since he last cried, shedding tears for this woman, and he's never going to, never again.

"I also heard from Yamato about your situation…" he said in a whisper-like tone, "You know, Yamato should learn to shut up sometimes but that's fine. You learn from his talkativeness anyway. I mean, he's not like Naruto who talks balderdash… at least what Yamato says could involve your attention."

Sai bit his lips underneath his mask and sighed, "Sakura, I do hope you get well soon. I know, it's not like me to hope but… it was you who taught me how to hope, love and trust."

He stood up and made one last look at her, "I have to go. Duty calls."

And when he was about to open the door… It flew open and face to face, the two ice princes stared at each, eye to eye.

Uchiha Sasuke and Sai.

Sasuke had in his hand a basket of daffodils and on the other hand, he had his folder.

"Excuse me." Sai spoke up first.

"Wait." Sasuke did not move, not allowing Sai to get out of the room, "What is your name?"

Sai fell silent. Of course, he knew he was talking to **the** Uchiha Sasuke, **the** one who captivated Sakura's heart. Somehow, he had some respect for the guy, just because Sakura chose Sasuke instead of him… He also had some remorse for the Uchiha prodigy.

"I do not give information so personal." Sai replied, "Can you not see that I am an Anbu? You should know that, Sir. I know you were an Anbu before. And it is in the Anbu rules that whenever an Anbu wears his mask, everything about his personality is also masked."

Sasuke stared at the clock, "You're not yet on duty. It means you're still an ordinary civilian."

"Sir, if I am not yet an Anbu just because I haven't reported for duty yet, doesn't make me an ordinary civilian." Sai replied, "If I am not yet on duty, I am classified as a jounin. And even in jounin rules, it is into the discretion of the ninja if he tells his name or not."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, "I have seen your face before. Sakura broke your mask some days ago, when you and another Anbu were restraining her. As far as I'm concerned, you blew up your cover."

"Not entirely." Sai replied, "Just because you saw my face means you know me already. Only a few people may know me, by my face and by my name."

Then, Sasuke moved, allowing Sai to pass through.

"You're just saying that because you were close to Sakura and you know who I am." Sasuke's words stopped Sai's tracks, "Judging from what you said, you do know me… You know my former affiliation, too. So you knew I was her ex-fiancé. That's why you hid everything."

Sai fell silent for a moment. No wonder why that guy was called **the** Uchiha prodigy.

"And seeing that my words have stopped you, I presume that what I said were true." Sasuke closed the door after taking one last look at the Anbu.

Sai shook the thought off his head and made his way to the headquarters.

It was indeed, an ill-fated day for someone in Konoha.

_TBC…_

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**Tsunade is now fighting against time to find the right ingredient to mix with an extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato. Tenten enters the Hokage's office and suggests something that she thought that could lighten up the load for Tsunade. The Godaime Hokage rejects her suggestion but it seems like Jiraiya had been eavesdropping nearby and appears in her office and says that what Tenten had said was a good idea. However, they were making Tsunade's temper short.**

**On the next chapter: _Fighting Back_**

"_**You're a gambler, right? Why not gamble with Lady Fate now?"**_

**-Jiraiya**

**_A/N:_ Due to Homebound's terrific success, I planned to put a short adventure ahead that would make things worse. XD but need not worry, someone will fix it all up soon.**

**Leave a review! I'd love to hear from you guys!**

**_HEADSTRONG_ by Trapt is now AVAILABLE. PM me or leave a note that says you want a copy of it or so. Headstrong will be used in Chapter 56 of Homebound.**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	52. Fighting Back

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I finished making Chapter 72 this week. I'll start on Chapter 73 soon.**

**I have released a one-shot collection, entitled _Unspeakable Blues_. It will have 4 chapters 4 oneshots. Chapter 1 will be NejiTen, Chapter 2 ShikaIno, Chapter 3 NaruHina and Chapter 4 SasuSaku. I will make a weekly update on it; I hope you'll check it out.**

**I also released a NejiTen drabble entitled _Mood Swings_. Hope y'all check it out.

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**(From the last chapter…)**

Sai fell silent for a moment. No wonder why that guy was called **the** Uchiha prodigy.

"And seeing that my words have stopped you, I presume that what I said were true." Sasuke closed the door after taking one last look at the Anbu.

Sai shook the thought off his head and made his way to the headquarters.

It was indeed, an ill-fated day for someone in Konoha. 

**(Chapter 52 – Fighting Back)**

"You're almost late today." Yamato elbowed Sai slightly, as they were scouting around Konoha.

"I saw a black cat. It was bad luck if I walk on the same road as that black cat did." Sai reasoned out emotionlessly.

"And since when did **you** believe in superstitions?" Yamato questioned.

"Never." Sai replied, "Ever heard of 'read between the lines'?"

"Yeah, why?"

"How about doing that to what I said?" Sai told the elite Anbu, "It's almost the same thing, you know. It's just that, there's a different reference."

Yamato just shook his head, "Man, I just don't get you sometimes."

"You don't have to if you can't." Sai concluded.

Meanwhile…

A pile of books and a lot of scrolls were scattered all throughout Tsunade's office.

"ARGH! DAMN IT!" Tsunade placed her hands on her head because of frustration and threw the pencil she was holding across the room.

She has been making lists of the possible ingredient that could be mixed with the extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato. She had also been analyzing and writing the possible outcomes and risks of blending the ingredients into the extract… and none of them sounded pretty good.

Inflammation of the bladder, possible lung weakness, possible lifetime paralysis, weakening of the cardiac wall, infertility, shortening of lifespan, total malfunction of the vocal cords, blindness… and those were just some of the things listed down on the analysis paper of the Godaime Hokage. All of them were just too hard to swallow.

Then, she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in." Tsunade replied in a frustrated tone.

It was Hyuga Tenten.

"Here are the lists of mountain herbs you wanted me to research about." Tenten placed the folder on the Hokage's messy desk.

Tsunade grabbed the folder quickly and browsed.

"You may leave now." Tsunade dismissed.

"Uhm, Tsunade-sama?" Tenten hesitantly spoke, "May I suggest something?"

"If it is related to what I'm doing right now, I will listen but I might not consider. If it's not, then save it some other time." Tsunade sighed in exhaustion, "If it's about national concern, then tell me right now and leave."

"It's about Sakura's curse." The brown-haired kunoichi spoke in a low tone, "Was it not you who cured my curse?"

**(_A/N:_ This is related to Homebound's prequel, _A Curse to Kill_. Tenten had a life-threatening curse there and it was Tsunade who cured her, by advising Neji, acquainted by Sasuke, to go to Sunagakure to get a cure for her curse from the oldest advisor of the Kazekage, named Wasudo. If you want to read _A Curse to Kill_, that's fine. If you don't want to, that's fine, because I already told you what it was all about.)**

Tsunade paused for a moment. Then she shook her head, "Tenten, your curse and Sakura's curse are different. You had your curse since you were a kid and Sakura's curse is something that she got because of a stupid decision she made to save Uchiha. One more thing, the cure for your curse wasn't from me. It was from Wasudo of the Sand."

"But Tsunade-sama! What if he might know the proper ingredient to mix with the essence! Hokage-sama, do remember that Sunagakure was a former ally of Otogakure, and Wasudo-san was one of the former Mizukage's advisers. So there's a close possibility that he knows what to do with people cursed by Orochimaru!" Tenten made a point.

"We're fighting against time here, Tenten." Tsunade countered, "It will take long before you get there. If I don't save Sakura now, she'll die. And else, what if he doesn't know?"

"That's the point, Tsunade. Why don't you give it a spin?" a knock was heard through the window – it was Jiraiya, "You're a gambler, right? Why not gamble with Lady Fate now?"

"I'm not very lucky in gambles Jiraiya, and you know that." Tsunade clasped her hands under her chin, "We just can't risk something when there's a low possibility."

Jiraiya disappeared in a poof and reappeared in the office with a puff of smoke.

"Then let me gamble!" Jiraiya said confidently, "I'll take Naruto with me!"

Tsunade had a hey-are-you-kidding-me look on her features.

"You're not taking Naruto." Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows, "And you're not going anywhere, too."

"Hokage-sama, just try!" Tenten pleaded.

"Tenten, maybe sending you and your husband out on high-risk missions that are pretty successful might be making you too confident." Tsunade seemed impatient, "Tenten, you and your husband may take the week off. Get out of my office now. That's for commenting such a stupid thing while I'm doing something terribly important which needs to be finished in just a short time! OUT, NOW!"

Tenten's eyes welled up and bowed. Then, she ran out of the office, her hands on her face.

"Weren't you too rude?" Jiraiya seemed serious, "She was just making a suggestion-"

"Jiraiya, you too. Out of my office, **now**." Tsunade placed her hands on her temples.

"I'm not going anywhere until I get the answer I want." Jiraiya sat cross-legged on the floor and hummed a song.

"JIRAIYA, GET OUT OF MY OFFICE, DAMN IT!" Tsunade stood up and pointed to the door.

Just then, Neji entered the office, with a face showing that he was very much concerned with the situation.

"Now what!" Tsunade sat down and crossed her arms, looking at the Hyuga prodigy with business in mind.

"I'm sorry but I cannot take the week off, Hokage-sama." Neji bowed with respect, "And so can't my wife."

"If you do not follow my orders, I'll strip you off of your ninja rights." Tsunade tried to regain her composure, however unsuccessful.

"I'm afraid you can't do that-"

"Hyuga Neji, together with Hyuga Tenten and Jiraiya, all of you are not ninjas of Konoha any more. I'm putting your licenses on hold."

_TBC…_

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**Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten have been ousted of ninja rights. Jiraiya tells Neji and Tenten to hold on to what they believe in and follow him. They did and they dropped by Uzumaki Naruto and Uzumaki Hinata's place. Jiraiya asks Naruto to come with them on a secret mission. However, what Naruto heard from them afterwards was unexpected.**

**Find out on the next chapter of Homebound: _The Decision_**

"_**What do you mean not authorized by Tsunade-baachan? It has to be authorized by the Hokage or else we'll get punished!"**_  
**-Uzumaki Naruto**

**_A/N:_ So, Jiraiya holds on to what he thinks is right and so does Neji and Tenten. But will Naruto come to their mission after knowing that the mission was unauthorized by Tsunade? Woohoo, another conflict rises as the story goes on! NEAT, HUH?**

**You know from where we writers get and draw more inspiration to write more? It's from the support of the readers and their reviews. Reviews make me happier and more inspired, so don't forget to drop by a review, okay?**

**To those who drop by signed reviews (reviews from registered members of ff dot net), I really do reply to your reviews and I'm trying my best to review to all of you, even if reviews for every chapter goes off the chart most of the times!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	53. The Decision

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ I'm still writing Chapter 73, hehe. I'm taking it slow nowadays since I'm way ahead of you. I did this deliberately to make way for my other fics… to plot 'em and make 'em.**

**_PLUG IN:_ FILIPINO READERS, LISTEN UP! I just want to promote my very first fic written in the Filipino Language entitled _"Mga Kasabihan Nga Naman"_. It's a comedic fic, so based on the title, yes, it has something to do with our lists after lists of Pinoy Superstitions… taken literally or either experimented. This is a wacky fic, so I hope you'll read it. It also has a bit of romance: NejiTen, SasuSaku, ShikaIno and NaruHina. So that's that… Sana mabasa nyo at maraming salamat sa mga susuporta at sumusuporta!

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"I'm sorry but I cannot take the week off, Hokage-sama." Neji bowed with respect, "And so can't my wife."

"If you do not follow my orders, I'll strip you off of your ninja rights." Tsunade tried to regain her composure, however unsuccessful.

"I'm afraid you can't do that-"

"Hyuga Neji, together with Hyuga Tenten and Jiraiya, all of you are not ninjas of Konoha any more."

**(Chapter 53 – The Decision)**

"What the hell!" Jiraiya stood up and pounded his hands on Tsunade's messy table, "I know that anything can and will happen at the snap of your fingers, **HOWEVER**, you **cannot**, and I say, **CANNOT** do **that**!"

"I just did, so get over it." Tsunade grabbed a book and began reading, "So shut up and get out of my office, Jiraiya. That goes the same for you, Hyuga."

Neji reasoned out, "I disagree with what you just did, Hokage-sa-"

Then, a book went flying towards him, although he was agile enough to evade the speeding book. And the book hit the wall, damaging the concrete on impact, staying stuck on the wall, with smokes of dust surrounding it. It was only then that Neji realized that the Hokage was serious about disturbing her peace, and that she was frustrated. And when the book fell on the floor with a loud 'thump', again being surrounded by a smoke of dust, Neji bowed hesitantly and excused himself and got out of the office to meet his crying wife just near the door.

"Jiraiya, get out." Tsunade eyed her teammate with deadly glares, "Get out before I harm you. I'm trying my best to control my anger, so get out."

Jiraiya turned on his heel, and with the fading 'thock-thock' sounds of his sandals, he got out of the office, leaving a frustrated Tsunade.

"I'm sorry…" Tenten hugged her husband tightly, "I'm so sorry… We're not ninjas anymore because of my foolishness… Neji, I'm so sorry…"

Of course Neji was also angry that he wasn't a ninja anymore but the fact that his wife was sorry about it, he seemed like he wanted to cry about what just happened, but he can't so he just hugged his sorrowed wife tighter, closing his eyes and sighed, "That's okay. She might take it back."

"And she will." Jiraiya was walking down the hall and stopped, only to turn to them, "I have a plan. Come with me."

A few minutes later… In the Uzumaki household…

"Neh neh, Hinata-chan, what name should we give our baby?" Naruto asked as he placed a glass of orange juice on the glass table in the living room, just in front of his pregnant wife, Hinata.

"I… uh… uhm… I've n-not decided on t-that yet, Naruto-kun." Hinata sweatdropped, "We don't know if the ch-child is a boy or if it's a girl! B-Besides, I'm only a few m-months pregnant so, there's still no telling of the child's g-gender."

Then a knock was heard on the door.

"I wonder who that could be." Hinata was about to stand up when Naruto ran to get the door.

"I'll get it!"

"Hello!" Naruto opened the door with a sheepish grin.

"Hello Naruto, may we come in?" it was Jiraiya, with Neji and Tenten.

"Eeek! It's the perverted hermit!" Naruto's eyes went round as platters and began pointing his index finger at Jiraiya again and again.

"Oh! Jiraiya-san? Neji-niisan? Tenten-chan? Please come in." Hinata greeted.

"Thanks Hinata." Jiraiya smiled, "Hey Naruto, you should learn from your wife sometimes. A slight hospitality goes a long way!"

The blushing Hinata twiddled her fingers, and Naruto had himself dumbfounded, wearing a straight face.

The three sat on a sofa in the living room, and Naruto sat on a sofa across them.

"I'll just make some tea and prepare some cookies for all of us." Hinata bowed at her guests and went to the kitchen.

"What brings the three of you here?" Naruto crossed his arms on his chest.

"We're going to do a high-risk secret mission and we're planning to take you with us." Jiraiya said in a hush-hush tone.

"What does Tsunade-baachan want us to do?" Naruto asked.

"Actually, this mission we're having is not authorized by Tsunade." Jiraiya added.

"What!" Naruto half-yelled in shock, "What do you mean not authorized by Tsunade-baachan? It has to be authorized by the Hokage or else we'll get punished!"

Hinata arrived in the living room with a tea set and a plate of chocolate-chip cookies. She served a cup of tea to each and also for herself. She then sat next to her husband and took a sip of tea, and so did Naruto.

"We have not been authorized because we've been stripped off of our ninja rights and privileges. It means that we're not ninjas anymore." Neji simplified.

As soon as he had said that, Hinata choked as she swallowed tea and Naruto sprayed the tea from his mouth onto Jiraiya's face.

Naruto choked a bit as Hinata took some tissue paper and wiped his mouth. She stood up and approached the towel shelves just near the bathroom and handed a towel to Jiraiya.

"What do you mean by that!" Naruto exclaimed, "Hey you, perverted hermit, aren't you a sanin? And you, Neji, Tenten… you graduated as genins a year before Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme and I graduated! So ever since you're a genin, you're already a ninja! It's only if you're a missing nin will you be stripped off the ninja level!"

"I said something wrong at a wrong time to Hokage-sama. I tried to convince her to do it, but she just got angry at us and stripped us off of the ninja level because of my foolishness." Tenten spoke, again with beads of tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Oh my…" Hinata commented, "That's not right!"

"Actually, Tenten only wanted to help Tsunade in finding out the ingredient to mix with the cure for Sakura. Tsunade, in all her pride, rejected her friendly suggestion and made us all go out of her office. However, I don't back down that easily. That's why we're planning to take you on our mission to Sunagakure." Jiraiya said as soon as he finished wiping his face.

Hinata had a shocked look on her face and replaced it with a worried look. She didn't want Naruto to go. She didn't like to worry and put him in danger if Tsunade finds out what was going on. It was a dangerous task.

Naruto looked at his wife and said, "I'd rather be here than make Hinata-chan worry. Wait, I know a person who can help you! Hang on a minute, I'll just call him."

Naruto stood up and went to the phone table near the TV set and dialed a number.

"Hello?" the person from the other line greeted.

"Hello? Yamato-taichou! How are you? Good thing it's your time off! I'm just gonna ask you something." Naruto bubbly replied.

"What! Yamato? Yamato, as in **the** Yamato, one of the platoon leaders in the elite Anbu squads?" Neji commented, "Naruto! He's busy! Put the phone down now!" **(_A/N:_ Neji is Tsunade's spokesperson to the Anbus, remember? It was mentioned in the first chapters of Homebound!)**

"Neh neh, Yamato-taichou, could you come with us on a mission?" Naruto pleaded.

"Hey, I'm busy. You know it's tough to be elite Anbu… go ask Sai." Yamato replied, "He's at his house. Hurry and call him, it's his time off, however, he'll return to his duty in just a few minutes."

"Okay!" the blonde responded, somehow disappointed at his reply.

Then, both hung up and Naruto dialed another number.

"What?" it was rather an unfriendly greeting from the other line.

Naruto greeted, "Hey Sai! I was wondering if you could come with Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten on a mission-"

"I'm not interested." Sai hung up.

_TBC…_  
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**Naruto completely decides not to go, and that it was a bad idea to come with Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten on the mission, when his baby's life was at stake. So the 3 goes to Sai's place without Naruto and Yamato tells them both good news and bad news. However, when they told them of what they were planning to do, Yamato seemed to be against it. Is he friend or foe?**

**Check it out on Homebound, Chapter 54: _Plotting Plans_**

"_**Since I am an elite Anbu and knowing that you're going to be in an unauthorized secret mission, with a team consisting of one licensed Anbu and 3 nins whose licenses are on hold, I cannot allow you to do that."**_  
**-Yamato**

**_A/N:_ Ooh… looks like it was a bad idea to bring in Yamato in the conversation. But is there a reason behind his stern motives? Or is he just the manipulative and authoritative type of person who is more of Tsunade's ally to bring Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten down? Hmmm…**

**The song _Headstrong_ by Trapt is still available! This song will be used in Chapter 56.**

**Well, before you think of that and lose your brains, drop by a review! It won't hurt a bit you know. XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	54. Plotting Plans

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

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**_NEW FICS!  
_  
_Avenger_ (SasuSaku, SaiSaku, oneshot) told in Sasuke's POV. (since May 18, '06)  
_Haunted_ (SasuSaku, oneshot) takes place after Chapter 307 of the manga. (since May 19, '06)

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**_ATTENTION PLEASE! HELP WANTED!_ Yes, I haven't been improving much on Chapter 73. So this is your chance to help me! I am in need of a _co-writer_ for Chapter 73. This person must have at least a knack at writing a thrilling fight scene. Whoever wants to grab this opportunity, please contact me via PM or via review. For inquiries, please don't be hesitant to ask.

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Hey, I'm busy. You know it's tough to be elite Anbu… go ask Sai." Yamato replied, "He's at his house. Hurry and call him, it's his time off, however, he'll return to his duty in just a few minutes."

"Okay!" the blonde responded, somehow disappointed at his reply.

Then, both hung up and Naruto dialed another number.

"What?" it was rather an unfriendly greeting from another line.

Naruto greeted, "Hey Sai! I was wondering if you could come with Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten on a mission-"

"I'm not interested." Sai hung up.

**(Chapter 54 – Plotting Plans)**

"ARGH! SAI'S A BASTARD TOO!" Naruto exclaimed furiously as he dialed Sai's number again.

"What?" Sai again.

"Just come with us!"

"Just what is your problem!" Sai answered, "Look Naruto, I'm gonna be late for duty if I stay longer on the phone here, hey, we don't have anything to talk about!"

"It's important Sai-"

"What part in **NO** don't you understand! I said no, **no**, NO, **NO**, and well, let's see… **NO**. So hang up now!"

"Sai, it's about Sakura-chan's cure! It's for her cure, damn it! Why won't you listen to me for a sec, you ignorant bastard!"

There was a moment of silence, long enough for the two ex-teammates to regain their composures.

Sai finally spoke, "I'll bring Yamato with me. We'll have a talk later at 7 PM, at my place. Bring along whoever is concerned. There, I gave in to what you want. Now can you please hang-"

Then at an instant, Naruto hung up.

"Sai's coming! He said he wants to talk about it later at his place at 7! He's gonna bring along Yamato-taichou, too!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Sai has an excellent record in the headquarters, too. From what I've read, he's got good marks for his stealth, agility and so far, all the high-risk Class-S and Class-A missions he's been through were all successful. He is stationed as scout because he knows better what to do in emergency situations, together with Yamato." Neji implied, "It would also be good to have him on the team."

"Naruto-kun, a-are you coming with them?" Hinata asked as she twiddled her fingers.

"Neh neh, Hinata-chan, what did I say earlier? I'm much more needed here-"

"But your teammate, Sakura-chan-"

"They'll do fine without me, Hinata-chan!" Naruto made the 'nice guy' pose, "But I'll just go with-"

"No, just like you said, Naruto, we will be fine without you." Jiraiya smirked, "So you don't need to come with us later to… what's that person's name again?"

"Sai." Neji replied.

"Yeah, Sai. You don't need to come with us later to Sai's place! You're much needed here!"

"Naruto-kun, I was really planning to cook a big dinner tonight. I'll be cooking lots of ramen, too." Hinata smiled, "But I guess I'll have to move it tomorrow since you're coming with-"

"WHAT! RAMEN! LOTS AND LOTS OF RAMEN!" Naruto drooled, "NO, THEY CAN DO BETTER OFF WITHOUT ME! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT RAMEN!

"But Naruto-kun, the mission is important, and it's for Sakura-chan-"

"Nah, I can't leave. Remember you're frequently having complications on carrying our baby, so I just can't leave you. What if I did come with them and if I did make it home safe, you will still be here safe and sound but we can't be sure about the baby." Naruto sounded a bit more sincere, "And besides, you cook ramen better than the Ichiraku's! Can't afford to miss a bowl!"

Hinata blushed at his comment.

Sai's place, 7 P.M…

Sai opened the door and in came Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten.

"Jiraiya, the sanin?" Yamato eyed the white-haired man entering Sai's residence.

"Hey, how are you doing?" Jiraiya greeted at Yamato, who was seated on the floor cross-legged comfortably, watching an action series.

"Where's Naruto?" Sai asked as he sat on a sofa across where Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten seated. Yamato was seated on the floor in front of the TV.

"Let's get straight to the point. What about Sakura's cure? What did the Hokage say about it?" Sai asked.

"The Hokage rejected the suggestion of us going to Sunagakure to seek an old man named Wasudo for his help." Neji explained, "So we're doing this whether she likes it or not."

"That's a big problem. I heard from the Ninja Management Department that Tsunade issued a command to them to get all of your information out of the database and burn it up… **in public**." Yamato said, "Jiraiya, the sanin, Hyuga Neji of the Hyuga Branch House and Hyuga Tenten, of the Hyuga Branch House, wife of Hyuga Neji."

The three who were mentioned were in shock. Burning of their archives in public? All those hard work will disappear in one snap of the Hokage's fingers?

"The issue was heard even by the Judicial Council. The council was shocked and tells Tsunade to hold the ordeal. They wanted to investigate what was behind this sudden decision of hers when you three have a perfectly positive record." Yamato added, "And it was strictly prohibited by the Judicial Council to all ninjas to leak out any information regarding Tsunade's decision of burning your archives. So strict that the Judicial Council said that not even to family members will they tell about the issue. Anyone talking about it in public and are caught will be punished greatly. It's highly classified information."

The three sighed in relief. Good thing there's still the Judicial Council to back them up… And the sensitive and alert elite Anbu like Yamato to tell them about it.

"Now, in my position as elite Anbu, I can't allow you to do missions rejected by the Hokage-"

Sai interrupted, "Aww c'mon Yamato, don't be an asshole-"

"AS I WAS I SAYING, **SAI**," Yamato stressed his voice, resembling authority, "since I am an elite Anbu and knowing that you're going to be in an unauthorized secret mission, with a team consisting of one licensed Anbu and 3 nins whose licenses are on hold, I cannot allow you to do that."

Jiraiya looked annoyed, Neji was irritated, Tenten was depressed and Sai… Sai was infuriated.

"You're going to do something outrageous. Your lives are at stake. Sai, if you were reported missing and you were caught on the mission with these civilians, the Headquarters will oust you as an Anbu, and as a jounin. In fact, the punishment will be the same thing that **might** happen with those three's archives. Your archives, both from the Anbu Headquarters and from the Ninja Management Department will be torn up and burnt, **in public**." Yamato added, "And my position as one of the elite Anbu platoon leaders will be at stake. They will know that I might've allowed you on the mission, and the superiors will turn against me and probably throw me out of position because they know that you are a friend of mine. Now, you have to think Sai, do you want to do this or not?"

"Fuck you Yamato. You're a selfish son of a bitch. You're thinking nothing but maintaining your position in the headquarters? Damn, you're some intelligent and manipulating piece of shit. I wish I've never known you. Hell yeah I'm still doing this mission." Sai, with his two fists, held his mask and broke it apart, the broken porcelain Anbu mask falling on the floor.

_TBC…_

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**Yamato reveals his true intentions and reveals if he was friend or foe. It was a sigh of relief for Neji because he sent a Hyuga Branch House messenger to Kirigakure to ask Haruno Kashime on the whereabouts of her teammate, Mayonima Shio, the person cursed by Orochimaru but was cured by the extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato.**

**Up next: _Ruthless Intelligence_**

"_**Does this mission have anything to do with the Hokage's concern?"**_  
**-Mayonima Shio**

**_A/N:_ O.o Did you just read what Sai have said? YES! STILL GOOD OLE FOUL-MOUTHED SAI! XD**

**Oh and yes, there will be a short reappearance of Kashime! And yes! Now, it's Shio's time to shine! He was being asked to go to Konoha by a creepy-looking Hyuga Branch House messenger! Don't worry; those who are asking if Kashime will still be making reappearances, she will. She will appear on the next chapter, and also, she will be appearing as a renewed ninja in later chapters (you do know what I mean by 'renewed ninja' right? If not, then, hahaha! You will be surprised to know what that means! It means 2 things! –wink wink-)**

**Reviews are highly valued!**

**The song _Headstrong_ by Trapt is still available. The song will be used in Chapter 56. Tell me if you want a copy, okay?**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	55. Ruthless Intelligence

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

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**Please pause for a moment as I address a message to an anonymous reviewer:**

**_DEAR LONE WOLF (ANONYMOUS REVIEWER/READER)_,**

**I really would like to thank you for correcting me with my grammar in the most rude, most arrogant, most intriguing, most hilariously irritating way. I also would like to thank you for reading Homebound. I've read your previous other reviews before your most recent one and I was a bit wondering… if you're so irritated with my grammar, then why read on? And why have you been submitting me these anonymous reviews? With your fine grammar, I'm guessing you have an account in this website. Why hide?**

**Is it because you don't want me to flame right back at you?**

**Well, congratulations, Lone Wolf. I guess you got me at a wrong time and in the wrong mood.**

**Why can't you just correct me in a more polite way? I was really ticked off when I read your review. For such a mistake at grammar, why do you have to get angry with me? It's not like you're my English teacher or anything! Even if you are, I would've slept on your classes. Really now, for grammar purposes, you're already angry? You must be a boring person. How lame of you.**

**I read A LOT of fics containing A LOT of grammatical errors, yet I tell the authors of those stories that they had errors and I tell them that they can be ignored easily anyway. Why can't you just do the same thing?**

**Before you, there was also a reviewer who said I have grammatical errors. She corrected me politely, and I accepted that. Why can't you do THAT?**

**Evident on the MAJORITY of the readers' reactions in Homebound, MY ERRORS CAN BE IGNORED AS WELL. So why can't you ignore the errors? Is it because you're such a keen observer that you have to make sure everything's in place? I don't care if my grammar is imperfect, so what? I'm still just a kid, and I can learn further later. What's the rush?**

**I was irritated and I was humored when I read your review, Lone Wolf. Funny how you reviewed again, when you think the story sucked! Why do you want to correct me THAT badly? Do you want to become my beta reader? Even so, I could have thrown you out of the window because of some attitude problem.**

**You must be the most irritating anonymous reviewer I ever encountered in this website. I mean, your first reviews were all flames, and I didn't mind. But knowing that you continued reading AND YOU FLAMED AGAIN, I was thinking you were kinda stupid. IF YOU HATED THIS FIC SO MUCH, THEN WHY DID YOU CONTINUE READING IT? YOU'RE SO SMART YET SO STUPID.**

**Sorry for such foul (and blunt) words of mine, I really can't help it. You just plucked a wrong nerve at a wrong time.**

**So if you're still reading this, then I really appreciate it. And if you read my own personal online counter-flame for you, that's really nice of you. Now, stop right here and discontinue Homebound.

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**Now, my other dear readers and reviewers, don't be hesitant to correct me with my grammar or with my spelling… but always keep in mind that you just have to be a bit polite. No need to tick off your composure. **

**Be noted: FLAMERS BEWARE; I FLAME BACK – especially if I'm in a bad mood.

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Fuck you Yamato. You're a selfish son of a bitch. You're thinking nothing but maintaining your position in the headquarters? Damn, you're some intelligent and manipulating piece of shit. I wish I've never known you. Hell yeah I'm still doing this mission." Sai, with his two fists, held his mask and broke it apart, the broken porcelain Anbu mask falling on the floor.

**(Chapter 55 – Ruthless Intelligence)**

"Hey you, calm down." Jiraiya eyed at the angered Sai, "It's been wrong that we have him here. We have to go-"

"How impolite of all of you." Yamato smirked, "You didn't let me finish. How rude!"

The 4 were disturbed because of what Yamato had said.

"And since I hold such a high position, it wouldn't hurt a bit to go over the rules. I mean, I can completely cover up for you. To tell you the truth, the elite Anbus who are guarding the gates are mostly from my platoon. And all elite Anbus have been informed of the 3 ninjas whose licenses are being held and being the topic of the tug-of-war between the Judicial Council and Hokage-sama." Yamato continued, "The elite Anbus will not allow you to leave the gates of Konoha… unless I do something about it."

There was some glint of hope for those 4.

"I will not be punished that much if anyone knew. I'll still be an Anbu, but not an elite Anbu if ever they knew I let you out, however, if they knew I was with your team and talked of a plan, they will strip me off the Anbu rights and privileges, and I'll just be an ordinary jounin. Now, if you succeed in this mission, I can suggest to Hokage-sama to give back your licenses and Sai will be promoted to become an elite Anbu." Yamato expounded, "You see, I'm really into this mission of yours – I'm really going to allow you to leave the village… in one condition."

"What?" Sai asked.

"Don't mention my name when they ask who were with you. Just the 4 of you – don't ever say that I was involved. If you did, there will only be the slightest hope you would still get your licenses back and Sai, you will be ousted from the Headquarters. Now like I said, if I'm still Anbu and your mission succeeds, I can still be a threat to all other suggestions of having those three's archives burnt in public. I can always interfere with words strikingly true." Yamato looked over his shoulder at them, "Let's go team."

All of them sighed in relief. Yamato almost scared the souls out of them.

"Damn it Yamato, you scared the hell out of me." Sai rubbed his temples.

"I sent a messenger to the Mist. I'm asking the Mizukage's student to come with us to tell Wasudo about the cure for the cursed seal." Neji implied.

"Kashime? You're asking Kashime to come with us?" Tenten looked at her husband.

"She's probably very busy this time and else, she wouldn't be much of help to us. And besides, she's being trained to become a Mizukage." Neji smirked, "I'm asking her teammate, Mayonima Shio."

"Oh right! He was the one who was cured from Orochimaru's cursed seal. He was also the one who gave the vial of the extract to the Mizukage." Tenten smiled.

In Kirigakure…

Kashime was reading a law book in her room, in her house. It was almost midnight. She yawned and turned the page, "Damn, the road to being a Mizukage is harsh. I still have 3 books to read!"

She stared at the 3 books piled on top of each other across the room. And they were really, **really** thick.

Then she heard a sound. She turned to her left and saw a kunai was hurled onto her wall with a note on it. The window was opened mysteriously. She felt uneasy.

She stood up and got hold of the kunai and took the letter. She read it and it says, "I am a messenger from Konoha. I have something very important to tell Mayonima Shio. I have been told to ask you for directions. I have no bad intentions, so don't worry. I just want to know where he is right now. Write your answer at the back of this paper and tie it onto the kunai, then hurl it out of the window."

She tore a blank page from her notebook and wrote a note that reads, "What makes you say that? Who sent you?"

Then, she tied the note and hurled it out of the window.

A few minutes later it was hurled onto the wall again, on the same spot, with deadly accuracy.

Kashime did take note of that and presumed that if she messes up with this messenger too much, she might end up fighting him or her.

"I am a messenger from the Hyuga Clan of Konoha." She read.

"_Hyuga? Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Tenten?"_ She wondered, _"They must be the ones who sent this messenger. They were the only Hyugas I know of who knows my address."_

Then, she wrote something and tied it once more onto the kunai and threw it out of the window.

She sat down and continued reading the book when a loud and sharp 'thump' sound was heard. She looked on the wall again. The same spot, landing there 3 times, it awed her.

"_What now?"_ she thought as she stood up and read the letter.

"Keep this kunai. It's a rare type of black platinum kunai, forged to have killer accuracy. It's a reward for telling me where is Mayonima Shio. This kunai is expensive and valuable enough to buy you 2 mountains. Keep it in case of emergency or better yet, treasure it."

She looked at the kunai. No wonder why it was so heavy.

A blurred bullet of speed swept through the forests, in search of Mayonima Shio, the Mizukage's other student.

"Alright team, let's call it a day. You got all routines perfectly. Let's go home." Shio dismissed his platoon. When they left, Shio stood still for a black hooded figure stood somewhere near.

"Mayonima Shio." The figure called and got out from its hiding place.

That voice sent shivers down Shio's spine. Underneath his Anbu mask, he seemed like he was going to die – for the hooded figure looked like it was the grim reaper. Tall, clothed only in black and had an elliptical mask that smiled.

"Who are you?" Shio asked, trying to prepare himself if this 'thing' was a threat or not.

The hooded figure stopped walking and genuflected, and bowed his head down, "Would you come with me to Konoha? We are in need of **your** help."

Shio was confused, _"Who is this creepy guy! Is he the crypt keeper or the grim reaper or a hell spawn or something? And what did this guy just say? My help is needed in Konoha? **My** help? Hell must be freezing over."_

Then, the hooded figure removed its hood and revealed a long locks multi-braided hair and the figure removed its mask. It was a man with hazy crystal eyes and he had tattoos on his face and his lips were… err, black. He had multiple silver band earrings on his ears. To Shio, he looked like a real hell spawn, those clear eyes looked like they were going to devour him, like they can see through him.

"I am a messenger from the Hyuga Clan of Konoha. My name is Hyuga Takari and I'm from the Branch House. I'm here to tell a message… Mr. Hyuga Neji sent me to ask you to come with me to Konoha for a mission… they need to find out the ingredient that should be mixed with an extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato. I need your answer **NOW**."

"Does this mission have anything to do with the Hokage's concern?" Shio asked.

"We'll answer your questions when you get there. Mr. Hyuga Neji will be the one to answer you. But right now please, I need your answer. Would you come with me or not?" Takari said in the most patient and polite way with his eerie tone of voice.

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- ---

**Shio agrees to go with Takari to Konoha. Jiraiya, Sai, Neji and Tenten proceed to their mission as they are backed up by Yamato, allowing them to escape Konoha. However, they are blocked off by a brigade of Anbu Special Guards and they would not let them through. And why didn't Shio show up?**

**Find out on: _Headstrong_**

"_**Report to the Headquarters. There are reported foreign missing nins to be just around this area."**_  
**-Yamato**

**_A/N:_ Ooh… what does that line from Yamato mean? Did he really betray Sai and the others? Hehehe, cliffy galore! WEEE!**

**Anyway, the next chapter will feature a song entitled _Headstrong_ by Trapt. So if you want a copy of the song, just tell me!**

**Reviews please! Oh yeah, speaking of reviews, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE GREAT AMOUNTS OF SUPPORT! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT… I GOT A LOT OF REVIEWS… THIS IS THE GREATEST! YOU GUYS ARE MY INSPIRATION… REALLY… -cries- Thank you all and keep on reviewing! To the signed reviewers, I'll try my best to reply as much as possible, even if the reviews are countless!**

**The song Headstrong by Trapt is still AVAILABLE! The song will be used on the next chapter... **

**+Releina Artemis+**


	56. Headstrong

**_DISCLAIMER:_ I don't own Naruto. I don't own _Headstrong_ by Trapt, either.

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**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.  
_  
Please pause for a moment as I address a message to an anonymous reviewer, AGAIN:

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**_DEAR LONE WOLF (ANONYMOUS REVIEWER/READER)_,**

…

**I am… stunned. I don't know how to react with your counter-review, really. I don't know if I should laugh at you, pity you and let you off that easily, or should I bash you a bit more. But really, when I did read your review for the first time, I was laughing so hard I thought my gut was going to rupture. Man, you made a fool of yourself.**

**For an English snob, you don't know what SENTENCE INTENSITY means. Then let me tell you what it is: sentence intensity simply means what mood you're trying to put into the wordplay. And you got the wrong sentence intensity if you were "trying to be polite" in your previous review. It really ticked me off. I didn't see the politeness there.**

**AND WHAT THE HELL? YOU'RE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE AN ACCOUNT IN a kid English snob scolded me? WHAT THE!**

**Hey kid, in two months I'm turning 15, how about you? Damn, not old enough? What's up with that? So if you said you're not old enough, you should know that since I'm registered here, then I should be a bit older than you. If so, could you please give me a little respect, being as someone older than you?**

**Look kid, I don't mind people younger than I am bugging me about my grammar or any of my flaws, AS LONG AS THEY RESPECT ME, as long as they tell me what's in their minds politely. If you only did the same thing, I would've never posted any of these things to get things straight! If you respect me, I'll respect you. Even if you'd meet me in person, I'll demand the same thing from you.**

**I'm really, really stunned.**

**Fine, redemption is what you want. Redemption's what you get. You already apologized for your mistakes, so consider it accepted. You may read and review this story again.**

…**But you do know what happens when you pluck a wrong nerve from me, so pick your words wisely.**

**Again, I apologize if I'm just being blunt. It's already in my nature.

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**

…**Alright, enough of that.**

**To those who have a copy of _Headstrong_ by Trapt, please play the song while reading this chapter!

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Does this mission have anything to do with the Hokage's concern?" Shio asked.

"We'll answer your questions when you get there. Mr. Hyuga Neji will be the one to answer you. But right now please, I need your answer. Would you come with me or not?" Takari said in the most patient and polite way with his eerie tone of voice.

**(Chapter 56 – Headstrong)**

Shio remained silent. He didn't know what to answer.

"The apprentice of the Hokage has gone berserk with the cursed seal. Konoha is worried about her condition. She is Haruno Kashime's cousin, Haruno Sakura." Takari added, just for some convincing.

"Kashime's cousin, you say?" Shio smirked underneath his mask, "Well, all right. I'll come with you."

"Let's go, we'll leave now." Takari wore his mask and hooded himself again, "Preparations have to start immediately."

"Don't I get to rest?" Shio shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sorry but you can't because we have to go as soon as possible." Takari told him.

The next day, in Konoha…

"We have to do this plan perfectly." Yamato told Jiraiya, Neji, Tenten and Sai who are hooded and masked like Anbus. They were in the bushes just a few yards away from the Konoha gate.

_Circling your  
Circling your  
Circling your head  
Contemplating everything you ever said  
Now I see the truth, I got a doubt  
A different motive in your eyes and now I'm out  
See you later_

Yamato leapt from tree to tree until he was able to land near the guards of the gates.

The 2 Anbus saluted to Yamato and he just nodded.

"You may leave now." Yamato said.

"Captain, there had not been any change of orders from the Headquarters. We will still guard this gate." The one with the eagle mask answered.

"Report to the Headquarters. There are reported foreign missing nins to be just around this area." Yamato told them.

"If that's so Captain, there's all the more need to guard this gate." The one with the hawk mask replied.

"It's an order. Are you going against me now?" Yamato told them.

The two stared at each other.

"Report to the Headquarters, quickly now." He added.

The two nodded and leapt from tree to tree to go to their Headquarters.

_I see your fantasy  
You wanna make it a reality paved in gold  
See inside, inside of our heads, yeah, well now that's over  
I see your motives inside  
Decisions to hide_

Yamato positioned himself near the gate and eyed the area where the 4 hid. He nodded at them and the four got out of their hiding places and ran at full speed until they got out of the gate.

"Neji, where is Shio?" Tenten asked in a hush-hush voice as they ran.

"He should be with Takari at the shores now." Neji replied.

"Not so fast." A brigade of black-hooded masked Anbus blocked their paths.

The four stopped and froze on their ground.

"There are no missions for the ordinary Anbus like you today. We have been informed by the Headquarters that only the elite Anbus have missions today." The one who seemed like the brigade captain said.

"Anbu Special Guards," Sai whispered, "they are positioned outside the gates of Konoha to make sure that an Anbu platoon who has a mission for the day has left to do the mission."

_Back off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_Headstrong, we're headstrong_  
_Back off I'll take you on_  
_Headstrong to take on anyone_  
_I know that you are wrong_  
_And this is not where you belong_

"By the looks of it, you're not elite Anbus." The captain added, "You don't have a silver lining on your hood, so you're not elite Anbus. You're regular Anbus, right?"

"We're scouting." Neji answered.

The captain looked at his clipboard and looked at them, "A four-man squad scouting is not until sunset. Right now, only 2 Anbus are positioned to scout outside Konoha at daylight. And if you are 2 pairs scouting, why are you together?"

"It was just a coincidence." Jiraiya replied.

"Coincidence? We caught the four of you running at full speed. Turn around and go back to Konoha." The captain ordered, "My platoon has a higher position than you, so we control traffic of every Anbu going out of Konoha. Now, go back to Konoha."

"What now?" Tenten asked.

"Fight." Sai and Jiraiya said in unison.

_I can't give everything away  
I won't give everything away_

The four 'Anbus' readied their weapons and so did the brigade.

"Surround them. I got a feeling that these guys are not really Anbus. As much as possible, try to break their masks and one of you guys should escape and tell the Hokage who these people are." The captain told the vice-captain who confirmed his command.

_Conclusions manifest  
Your first impression's got to be your very best  
I see you're full of shit and that's alright  
That's how you play; I guess you get through every night  
Well now that's over_

The Anbus clad in black surrounded the four ninjas.

"We should just try to escape them." Neji commented.

"That's no good. They are highly trained with long rage attacks." Sai added, "These guys work secretly for the Hokage."

"So that's why not many people take note of them." Tenten replied.

"When I throw my kunai, just leap from tree to tree until we reach the shores. Try to ignore all attacks." Neji told them.

"Can't we just put up a fight?" Sai remarked, "Like I said, they are highly trained with long rage combats and even with moving targets. We might not stand a chance with them-"

"Let's just do his idea." Jiraiya commented.

"_Tsk. I can't do any ninjutsu. If I did, I'll just blow my cover."_ Jiraiya thought.

"Ready yourselves." Neji implied.

_I see your fantasy  
You wanna make it a reality paved in gold  
See inside, inside of our heads, yeah, well now that's over  
I see your motives inside  
Decisions to hide_

At the instant Neji threw his kunai on the ground, the four of them were gone in a split second. But the special Anbus were able to eye them and began their pursuit.

They had begun throwing kunais and other weapons with high precision. Tenten prepared her scrolls and different weapons appeared with a puff of smoke. She collected them and quickly interlaced a string onto the weapons. With deadly accuracy, she threw them towards their pursuers, but only injured them.

_Back off I'll take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong  
Headstrong, we're headstrong  
Back off I'll take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong  
And this is not where you belong_

Tenten stopped on a branch of a tree and pulled the string, causing the weapons stuck from other branches of trees to jerk up in the air under the command of the string. Tenten grabbed a kunai from her holster and pulled the string upwards, making the weapons onto the string fly in midair.

With her kunai, she cut the string connection from her hand to her weapons and pulled away the remaining string from the branched strings, causing a rainfall of weapons onto her enemies.

"Tenten, quickly now!" Neji went back and came to his wife's aid, "Let's go!"

She nodded and they continued leaping from tree to tree while the special Anbus try to detach themselves from trees because the weapons stuck their clothes onto their barks.

_I can't give everything away  
(This is not where you belong)  
I won't give everything away_

When the special Anbus got themselves free from hold of the weapons, they quickly resumed their pursuit. Now, they began throwing a truckload of weapons in different directions towards the four.

Neji stopped and placed his left leg forward, his right leg backwards and placed his left arm diagonally downward and his right arm diagonally upward and bent down a bit.

_I know, I know all about  
I know, I know all about  
I know, I know all about  
I know, I know all about your motives inside  
And your decision to hide_

Mustering his chakra, Neji began spinning at full speed, making a big dome of blue chakra to deflect and disperse the weapons headed towards the group. When he noticed the weapons have been gradually decreasing by the moment, he stopped his Hakkeshou Kaiten and quickly followed Jiraiya, Sai and Tenten.

Other people from the special Anbu team have been greatly injured due to some redirection of the weapons from Neji's Hakkeshou Kaiten, therefore causing them the incapacity to stand up.

… But there were still plenty of them: Roughly around 15 or more, still with their captain.

_Back off I'll take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong  
Headstrong, we're headstrong  
Back off I'll take you on  
Headstrong to take on anyone  
I know that you are wrong  
And this is not where you belong_

The four were nearing the shores. Sai had been drawing something in 4 scrolls ever since Tenten started to fight back the special Anbus. He pocketed his paintbrush and threw the scrolls in the air and made handseals, "Ninpou: Chojuu Giga!"

The drawings from the 4 scrolls came to life: a giant bear, a tiger, a wolf and a swarm of giant hornets.

The special Anbus were quickly divided into 2 groups: the first half were fighting off the creatures and the other half still pursuing the 4 ninjas.

Jiraiya, Neji, Tenten and Sai finally reached the shores only to find no one there: Shio and Takari had not yet reached the shores.

"Surrender now!" The remaining 7 special Anbus stopped on the shores, 10 yards away from the 4 Ninjas.

Then, ice needles from out of nowhere stabbed 3 of the special Anbus.

"Genjutsu Kai!" a voice from behind the 4 ninjas echoed.

Then, a sea vessel appeared on the shores, with the symbol of Kirigakure. Shio was on the vessel with the Genjutsu Kai (Illusion Technique Cancel) handseal.

They have been hiding using Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique).

_I can't give everything away  
(This is not where you belong)  
I won't give everything away  
(Where you belong, this is not where you belong)_

Then, a hooded person clad in black, wearing a scary smiling mask appeared before them, "Leave now. I've brought Mayonima Shio here, so go now. I'll take care of these people."

"Go." Neji signaled his comrades to get aboard the sea vessel as he recognized the voice of his messenger, Takari.

Takari nodded and Neji turned his back and rode on the sea vessel as well, saying, "Thanks Takari, take care."

Takari turned to the remaining special Anbus and seemed to have caged them all within a huge chakra prison at all sides. He made the final handseal and the chakra cage compressed. Takari walked away to go back to the Hyuga Compound.

… After the chakra cage had gone, the special Anbus became mentally insane.

_TBC…_  
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**An Anbu Special Guard escapes the scene and reports everything that he had seen to the Hokage. The four ninjas from Konoha along with Shio are now on their way to Sunagakure, in hope to find the cure there. After knowing everything, the Hokage brings in Yamato in question. What would happen to Yamato now?**

**On the next chapter of Homebound: _Solutions_**

"**_Are you aware of what you've done, Yamato?"_  
-Tsunade**

**_A/N:_ Uh-oh… Yamato's in trouble! Is he gonna get toast or is he gonna escape by doing wordplays? Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. We'll find out if those 5 can find the cure for Sakura. Is Tsunade being bad? XD Heeheehee…**

**Reviews _are _HIGHLY _appreciated_!**

… **I'm going back to school in june 5, 2006! i can't believe i'm a high school junior already! this is soooo sad! school sucks!**

…**Well, sometimes!**

**Fear not, I'll still try my best to stick with the schedule!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	57. Solutions

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Go." Neji signaled his comrades to get aboard the sea vessel as he recognized the voice of his messenger, Takari.

Takari nodded and Neji turned his back and rode on the sea vessel as well, saying, "Thanks Takari, take care."

Takari turned to the remaining special Anbus and seemed to have caged them all within a huge chakra prison at all sides. He made the final handseal and the chakra cage compressed. Takari walked away to go back to the Hyuga Compound.

… After the chakra cage had gone, the special Anbus became mentally insane.

**(Chapter 57 – Solutions)**

"Just who was that, Neji?" Tenten asked, removing her Anbu mask as well as the others, "He's just not normal!"

"It **is** normal for Hyuga messengers to have those skills. They're not as strong as I am, not as strong as Hiashi-sama, but they are strong enough as you can see. It's just that they use inhumane jutsus, making them fearsome and powerful." Neji explained, "By the way, Tenten that was a messenger from the Hyuga Branch Family, Hyuga Takari. Hiashi-sama said that we can have him as our personal messenger."

"Now why am I doing this again?" Shio asked them, "You called me all the way from Kirigakure only to save your butts? I don't even know you guys, well, okay, so Kashime mentioned you to me, but… what is this mission for?"

"It would be better if we explain this inside." Jiraiya suggested as he entered the small ship's deck.

Meanwhile…

From the sands of the shores, rose a special Anbu, after using Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu (Earth Release: Inner Decapitation Technique). As soon as he rose, he found out that his other comrades had gone insane, as they all ran about madly along the shores, ripping their shirts off, drooling and breaking their masks.

His eyes narrowed at the sight and seeing that he was the only sane and able person from the group, he leapt from tree to tree, making his way back to Konoha, to report to the Hokage what he had seen.

When he made his way to the tower, he knocked on the door of the Hokage's office.

"Come in." the Godaime Hokage replied.

She was still reading piles after piles of books, sets after sets of folders, baskets after baskets of scrolls, and the whole room was a mess, with balls of crumpled paper everywhere.

"What do you want?" the Hokage asked.

The special Anbu bowed and told her, "Hokage-sama, we need medic teams to be dispatched on the Konoha shores, west of Konoha, to collect bodies of injured Anbu Special Guards. Also, we would need personnel from the Konoha Mental Correction Units, to collect the Anbus who turned insane on the Konoha shores, after encountering a weird hooded masked man."

Tsunade dropped her pen and called, "Shizune!"

Immediately, Shizune reported to the office.

"Go and dispatch medical teams and mental correction personnel to the west Konoha shores, now!" Tsunade ordered.

"Yes, right away Ma'am!" Shizune nodded and left.

"And who were you chasing away? How come you were the only one who was able to make it here?" she asked.

"I was tasked by our captain to go back and report to you who were those people who escaped the town, Ma'am. Sadly, our captain became insane, too. But from what I've observed, I seemed to have known 3 out of 4 from those who had attacked us." The special Anbu said, "They were disguised as Anbus, although I know that only one of them is a real Anbu, the other 3, I am not sure."

"Who are the 3 people you were able to identify?"

"By their skills, I was able to tell who they were. After seeing that she can use weapons skillfully with such high accuracy, I assumed one of them was Hyuga Tenten. Next, after seeing that he can use the Hyuga Hakkeshou Kaiten, I have assumed that the other one was Hyuga Neji. Finally, the other one, after seeing that he was artistically skilled, and he can use the Ninpou: Chojuu Giga, I assume that the other one is an Anbu named Sai. There is only one I wasn't able to identify."

"DAMN IT!" Tsunade pounded her fist on her desk, "Then there's no doubt about it! That other person is Jiraiya! How did they slip away from the town! Haven't I informed the Headquarters about those 3? And how come Sai was with them! Bring in the Konoha gate guards, RIGHT NOW!"

The Anbu nodded and in a split second, he was gone.

Back on the ship…

"So, this is about the cure for Orochimaru's curse, huh?" Shio said.

"Don't you remember what other ingredient have you mixed?" Jiraiya questioned.

"I told you, I don't remember." Shio shrugged his shoulders, "If only I can, but I can't."

"We're heading to Sunagakure to ask an old man named Wasudo if he knows the ingredient to be mixed with the extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato. Do you know him?" Neji asked.

"Well, I do remember the old hermit who cured me saying something about that Wasudo guy and things from Sunagakure." Shio answered, "As far as I can remember, that Wasudo helped that old hermit formulate the cure."

The four had a sigh of relief that they didn't waste their efforts.

"Now that was good news." Tenten smiled.

"You should be thankful I brought with me my ship, or else we won't be able to get there later. This is the fastest ship in Kirigakure. It's exclusive for the Anbus alone." Shio bragged, "But anyway, you should take your rests now. We'll be in Sunagakure shores in no time."

In Konoha…

"Hokage-sama! We're sure! Yamato-taichou told us to report to the Headquarters and he'll guard the gates at the moment. Since he is our captain in our platoon, we have no choice but to follow!" the gate guard with the eagle mask said.

"And when we did report to the Headquarters, we only heard about the 3 Anbus whose licenses are on hold but we've already heard of that before! That was the only warning the Headquarters had for us, but we already knew that… Hokage-sama, we didn't let those 4 go!" the one with the hawk mask said.

"Fine then. Go back to your duties and call Yamato to report in my office right now." Tsunade told the two.

The two nodded and left.

After a few minutes, Yamato walked in the Hokage's office and bowed.

"Are you aware of what you've done, Yamato?" Tsunade sternly told Yamato, who took off his mask.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I apologize for my carelessness." Yamato replied as solemn as he can.

"Explain yourself."

"There were 4 Anbus and I questioned them where they were going. They said they were going to scout around the outskirts of Konoha because there are foreign missing nins just around the area. I let them go, without knowing that… they were the 3 ninjas whose licenses are on hold and… Sai." Yamato acted like he was betrayed, his face showed anger and hurt, his voice trembling, "I thought Sai would never betray Konoha. Hokage-sama… You do know that Sai is almost like a brother to me… He may be weird and misunderstood most of the time, but he was a really loyal person. I still couldn't believe what just happened. Hokage-sama, I apologize sincerely, from the bottom of my heart… for my stupidity and carelessness."

Tsunade seemed to be buying Yamato's lies and sighed.

"So you've been fooled?" Tsunade asked.

"They were disguised as Anbus! Of course I would consider their reason on why they need to leave Konoha!" Yamato explained.

"Okay then… I accept your apology. You may leave. But as soon as they arrive, order your platoon and the gate Anbus to capture them immediately." She added, "You may leave my office now and go back to your duties."

Yamato wore his mask and bowed again, before turning on his heel to leave the office. And underneath his mask, he was grinning as he thought, _"I pulled it off!"_

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Yamato escapes the fury of the Godaime Hokage by wordplay. The four ninjas from Konoha including the Kiri elite Anbu finally arrives at the Sunagakure shores. However, they are blocked off again by a brigade of Suna jounins headed by a familiar person. They were eventually allowed to enter the town but it seems like there seems to be a minor problem with getting the cure.**

**Coming up next: _Hit the Floor_**

"_**Would you do the same thing if you wanted Sakura to get cured?"**_  
**-Tsunade**

**_A/N:_ Hehehe, Yamato escapes again! XD The Hokage is being bad and stupid at the same time, err… excuse the term. Anyway, I hope y'all look forward to the next chapter!**

**Don't forget to give me a review!

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**First week of school and projects already? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! T.T**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	58. Hit the Floor

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

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**_AUTHOR'S APOLOGIES:_ Waah, see? This is what I have been dreading! Late update! T.T I already told you guys about this one, neh? Starting June onwards, expect that updates will be delayed since I have school to prioritize. Oh well, never mind. Here's your update. I do hope that the next update will still be followed as scheduled. I'm really busy lately, hehe.

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"So you've been fooled?" Tsunade asked.

"They were disguised as Anbus! Of course I would consider their reason on why they need to leave Konoha!" Yamato explained.

"Okay then… I accept your apology. You may leave. But as soon as they arrive, order your platoon and the gate Anbus to capture them immediately." She added, "You may leave my office now and go back to your duties."

Yamato wore his mask and bowed again, before turning on his heel to leave the office. And underneath his mask, he was grinning as he thought, _"I pulled it off!"_

**(Chapter 58 – Hit the Floor)**

"We're here." Shio stopped the ship on the shores of Sunagakure. They disembarked the ship and bells started ringing – the Sand's coast guards spotted them.

Immediately, they were blocked off by a brigade of jounins. Headed by…

"Why are you here?" Kankoro asked them, "Got any business with the Kazekage?"

"We're not here for Gaara," Neji told him, "we're here for his oldest advisor."

"What? Again?" Kankoro snickered, "What do you want from the old guy?"

"Where is he?" Neji countered.

"Why would I tell you? Do you have a permit from the Hokage?"

Neji stayed silent.

"I have a permit signed by the Mizukage." Shio suddenly took out a scroll, "Here, read it."

Kankoro read the scroll and smirked, "Permission to leave the country and set foot on another? He didn't even state what country! I can't accept this."

"Of course you will accept it." Shio shrugged his shoulders, "Have you read it completely? The Mizukage left a footnote."

Kankoro read and sighed, "You're lucky. You may enter the town."

The brigade of jounins made way and let them enter the town, Kankoro leading the way to the Kazekage Tower.

Meanwhile…

Sasuke was in the Hokage's office to present his psychiatric weekly report and Tsunade read it.

"Did you know that 4 ninjas disobeyed me today?" Tsunade blurted out, "I'm sure you know them."

Sasuke was silent. He didn't give a damn if there were ninjas who disobeyed her.

"Jiraiya, Neji, Tenten and Sai." Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows, "They went to Sunagakure to get a cure to be fused with the extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato."

Then? What importance does that give to Sasuke? Nothing. Listening to her ranting was balderdash for him.

"Would you do the same thing if you wanted Sakura to get cured?" Tsunade eyed him.

Sasuke froze at that statement.

Back to Sunagakure…

"You're a Hyuga now?" an old man smiled at the chocolate-eyed Hyuga.

The four ninjas were seated on a couch across the old man seated on his sofa in his office in the Kazekage Tower.

"This man, who impolitely defeated me in a fight, getting away with your cure in a rude way, you married him?" Wasudo continued, smiling in disbelief, "My, my, Tenten-chan, if your parents were still alive, what would they say?"

"They will be proud. They will be proud of me because I'm the wife of one of the best ninjas Konoha has to offer." Tenten took a sip from her cup of tea, "What's wrong with marrying Neji? I tell you this Wasudo-san: any guy who can free me from a dreadful curse, risking his life, I can marry without hesitation. And else, he was the one who asked my hand in marriage, not the other way around."

Wasudo laughed and said, "Ah yes, you have the charm of your mother and the wits of your father. To tell you the truth, you two look like a perfect couple."

The Hyuga couple blushed at his statement.

The old man eyed Neji and smiled, "Young man, from our fight the last time, I can say you are skilled. And marrying this fine young woman beside you right now was a wise choice, for with her, you'll become stronger."

Neji smiled proudly and bowed, "Thank you."

Wasudo placed his teacup back on the table and leaned back, "So, what brings you all here? I understand that only the Mizukage allowed you on this mission?"

"Yes." Shio replied, "We're here for a special purpose. The apprentice of the Godaime Hokage has been cursed by Orochimaru. Since the Sand was the ally of the Sound back then, we were wondering if you happen to know a cure."

Wasudo raised an eyebrow, "You think I would know?"

Shio sighed and got a scroll from his bag and gave it to Wasudo. The old man took the scroll, opened it and read. After reading the scroll, his hands trembled and his eyes narrowed at the signature at the bottom of the scroll.

"Young man, how did you get this scroll?" Wasudo asked, "Don't you know that this scroll… holds the greatest teaching ever taught to me and my good friend by our master, who had long gone away?"

"Well your 'good friend' became my sensei when I ran away from Kirigakure." Shio told him, "I was cursed by Orochimaru and this old hermit who lives in the mountains cured me. He told me that he was from Sunagakure and told me that he had a friend named 'Wasudo'."

"Suhara, is that the name of your sensei?" Wasudo questioned, "Is his name Suhara of the Sand?"

"Yes. And I was hoping that you could help us since he told me a lot about you and your experiences with him." Shio replied, "Plus, you helped him formulate the cure, right?"

"If I can, yes," Wasudo nodded, "yes I will help you."

"Told you he could be of help." Neji whispered as he smirked at Tenten.

"We're looking for the ingredient to be mixed with the extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato." Jiraiya said, "The formula should cure Orochimaru's curse."

"Ah, you're the legendary sanin, Jiraiya of Konoha, am I right?" Wasudo grinned as he went to his bookshelf and browsed some books.

"Astounding. I never thought news about me will reach this far of the world." Jiraiya answered.

Wasudo sat back on his sofa as he browsed a thick old medical book. The pages were brittle so he handled each page with outmost care.

The old man stood up again and opened a cabinet crammed full of vials of different sizes. Some contained liquids, others contained powders. And the contents of these vials have varied colors.

"Young man, you said you were cured from Orochimaru's curse, right?" Wasudo stated, "Do you remember what color is the other ingredient?"

"Uhmm… I really don't remember." Shio answered.

And at that moment, the four ninjas from Konoha eyed him with deadly glares.

_TBC…_  
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**Wasudo asks Shio if he really can't remember anything about the cure. It was only after Tenten's threat that Shio starts to think and remember the cure. Meanwhile, in Konoha, a raven-haired man visits a pink-haired woman in a hospital room and ponders on everything that he has done.**

**Next attraction: _Taking Hints_**

"**_Do you want me to tell Kashime that you didn't do your best to cure her cousin? …Or do you want to think about that cure right now?"_  
-Hyuga Tenten**

**_A/N:_ Ooh… Tenten makes a threat! Anyway, the next chapter is a wee bit SasuSaku, but yeah, like what the preview says, Sasuke will be pondering on what he has done! Yay! Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! Err… -eherm-**

**Reviews please and thank you!

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**

**_PLEASE READ…_ My new fic entitled, _Unfaithful_. It's SASUSAKU, and it was created from the splitting ideas of Homebound and my one-shot entitled _Haunted_. _UNFAITHFUL_'s CHAPTER 2 IS UP.**

**Also, I have released a SAISAKU poem entitled, _If I Embrace Them Now_, of which I made during my free time in class today.**

**Please do read them!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	59. Taking Hints

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ … Sorry for the late update… AGAIN… Same reason as the previous one… I'm so busy… SO BUSY with school. Do forgive me!

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Young man, you said you were cured from Orochimaru's curse, right?" Wasudo stated, "Do you remember what color is the other ingredient?"

"Uhmm… I really don't remember." Shio answered.

And at that moment, the four ninjas from Konoha eyed him with deadly glares.

**(Chapter 59 – Taking Hints)**

Wasudo eyed Shio and said, "You… don't remember?"

Shio slowly shook his head.

"You don't remember or you're not trying to remember?" Wasudo raised an eyebrow, "Don't be selfish now, we're trying to save a very important person."

"Do you want me to tell Kashime that you didn't do your best to cure her cousin?" Tenten spoke, "Or do you want to think about that cure right now?"

Her words have been dripping with venom and now, Shio started thinking.

"It was in powder form…" Shio rubbed his temples, "And I think it was in the color of… red?"

Wasudo started taking out vials containing red powders and read the book.

He then chose a vial cautiously, stared at it and shook it a little, small hazy red smokes formed in the bottle after he stopped shaking it.

"This must be it then." Wasudo told them, "Ginseng, mountain lilies, crushed deep-sea pearls fused with rare red chrysanthemum petals in powder form. When fused with the extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato, it gives off a fragrant smell and a sweet taste. And from my own studies, the combination does cure Orochimaru's seal. Is this the right ingredient, young man?"

"As far as I can remember, it did smell good and it tasted sweet." Shio nodded.

Wasudo gave the cure to Tenten and she cautiously placed it in her holster.

The old man made hand seals and a scroll appeared on his right hand in a puff of smoke. He handed it to Sai and told him, "I heard from Kankoro that the only ninja who had permission to leave his town was the one from Kirigakure. And you four from Konoha don't have permits, do you?"

Sai took the scroll.

"No, don't open it. A monster from that scroll may attack you." Wasudo laughed, "If you get arrested, give that scroll to your Hokage."

"Is this a bad thing or a good thing?" Jiraiya asked.

"Both." Wasudo opened the door, "Now leave. Your job here is done."

Meanwhile…

Sasuke was walking down the hallways of the hospital. His psychological correction sessions with his psychologists and psychiatrists were done. This was becoming a ritual to him… Like what Nara Ino said, he was a killer visiting his victim on a deathbed.

He opened the door and saw Sakura the same… Blindfolded, tied securely on the bed and was sleeping. He didn't want to visit her when she was awake. The cursed seal would feel his presence and she would immediately become berserk.

He sat on a chair beside her, placing his folder on the bedside table. He placed his elbows on top of his knees, his hands laced together and these supported his chin.

It must have been hard for her; he made her suffer far too much already. But there was nothing he can do, and he knows that. He's no medic nin, how can he cure her? He's no good friend, how can he console her? What was he to her now? That, he doesn't know.

His eyes only hovered on the bruised ankles and bruised wrists that belonged to the pink-haired woman secured on the bed. He noticed that the glucose bag attached high up her bed was new. It was attached through a cord on her left arm. It was the only nourishment she receives.

Nurses dared not feed her directly since they were frightened. The very idea of her being blindfolded was to lessen her aggressiveness, but that doesn't mean she wasn't aggressive anymore. Oh no, it didn't mean like that. Even if she was blindfolded, if she's awake, the nurses can hear her screaming like crazy in the room.

The cursed seal was unnatural to her. Orochimaru didn't bite her to give the seal; in fact, Orochimaru can't relay messages to the cursed seal anymore. She had gone insane because she had transferred the seal onto her, which was the most unnatural and most inhumane thing to do. And since the cursed seal was no longer controllable by Orochimaru, it had affected her brain completely, it had completely took over her nervous system, making her clinically, socially, mentally, emotionally, physically and psychologically insane.

The Uchiha prodigy was able to read the scroll that belonged to Sakura from Kirigakure. Tsunade threw it at him to read because she was thoroughly angered. Not only by him, but by the foolish discretion her intellectual student made. A part of her wanted to punch Sakura in the face for being unwise when she usually was wise. A part of her wanted to kill Sasuke because it was primarily and naturally his fault. A part of her wanted to commit suicide since she did not teach Sakura to do such foolish decisions.

And when Sasuke was able to read the scroll, his eyes narrowed when he realized that the scroll contained a highly complex and dangerous ninjutsu, a suicidal one in fact. It was then when Sasuke had been informed that Tsunade was aware of Sakura formulating the scroll ever since she was an official medic ninja. Yes, she had formulated the suicidal counter-curse ninjutsu 4 years ago. Tsunade told him that she did finish it 2 years ago, but Sakura, herself, was shocked of what she did. She realized that she made a possibly effective one, but after reading the scroll, she finalized to herself that she didn't want to put herself in danger unless the time comes.

Sakura thought she might not need it anymore since she was engaged to the Uchiha at that time. And she placed it in the finest scroll cover she could ever find, a silk woven in black, a color that would symbolize death, a dangerous secret, a forgotten invention, an indecent temptation, a betrayal to humanity… it symbolized most especially Uchiha Sasuke, since black was the color of his eyes. She hid it in her secret office, undisturbed for 2 years… And now, the seal was broken and her own creation turned her berserk, a cursed seal fallen on her innocence.

Why did she do it? Why did she create such an insane invention? Tsunade can only tell Uchiha Sasuke that there were no words that would compare Haruno Sakura's ardent and constant love for him. She created such a thing because it was the only thing that can bring him back to Konoha.

It was unknown to the Uchiha heir that Naruto and Sakura had been planning to return him to Konoha secretly. So secret that not even their teammates back then, who were Yamato and Sai, knew. Tsunade only knew that when she caught the pink-haired apprentice writing the scroll in the Hokage's library. She was allowed there, since Tsunade wanted Sakura to learn better. Tsunade had asked the young lady why she was doing it, she could only say about Naruto and her plan of bringing Sasuke back to Konoha. If he would resist, then Sakura would perform the ninjutsu and he would come back to Konoha. How? The cursed seal was gone from him, knocking out Sakura in a snap, but he was sure to be insane then. His power was gone, so he would have to vent out his anger on Naruto, who was sure to beat the crap out of him. And Sakura was positively sure Naruto can beat him senseless then. Tsunade could only nod, seeing that their plan might be successful, but Sakura said that she was not so sure about what she, herself, was doing.

Sasuke sighed, all these thinking was making a headache. He stands up and finds a medicinal cabinet across the room. He got some cotton swabs, a disinfectant and a linen bandage.

He sat back down beside Sakura and started cleaning the partially bleeding bruises on her wrists and ankles. Right now, this was but a small thing to do to repay her to what sacrifice she made for him. But small things can make a big difference. Who was he anyway to save her? He doesn't have the strength or the capacity to save the woman before her.

He only wanted to be with her right? Fate seems to be harsh, for their threads of life were far too dangerous to be fused together. A love that can never be, for it only attracts the evil. A love that can never be, for their love for each other was far too strong to be true. Who was he anyway to love a dangerous thread of life like her?

Who was he? This mortal being who had embraced evil but found redemption by loving another mortal with pink hair and emerald green eyes… Who was he? Who was he to her? He just kept asking that question to himself.

He was Uchiha Sasuke. And right now, just as this moment when time seemed to have stopped, mending her wounds is the only thing he can do, to repay the big amount of debt he had for his life's savior, who was known as Haruno Sakura.

He may have denied the fact countless times already, but she mattered to him the most.

… And time stood still for the moment. Fate would never forgive them for loving each other, but just this once, Fate has forgiven them, but never again. Soon enough, for sure, Fate will be tormenting these two again.

…Sasuke understood everything… his love for her and her love for him can never be. He could just watch in pain as his world around her collapses.

_TBC…_  
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**The day after they left, Tsunade was informed that the four ninjas who left Konoha had just arrived and was arrested by Yamato's squad, the command coming from their captain, who is none other than the secret helper of those four, Yamato. The 'criminals' were brought to him and he pretended that he was scolding them, disappointed of what they've done, so that people eavesdropping from outside his room would know that he's not on their side. However, these 5 had a silent celebration for the victory – they got Sakura's cure. The Hokage arrives and later on, another person arrives, bringing bad news.**

**Expect the unexpected: _Improper Payback_**

"_**Can you believe it? They actually fell for my 'scolding' antics?"**_  
**-Yamato**

**_A/N:_ Hehe, did I make a good semi SasuSaku chapter? Don't worry, there's another one coming up! Hehehe… Anyway, looks like the next chapter houses a lot of twists, neh? Well, just look forward to it!**

**Oh and the song, _Gemini_, an OPM song sung by Spongecola, is now available. _Gemini_ will be used in the SasuSaku Chapter 61. Just inform me if you want a copy of it!**

**Won't you drop some reviews?**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	60. Improper Payback

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_UPDATES!_ Finally, Chapter 73 of the Homebound epic has been finished thanks to sailorprincess and Ayi! I'll be writing the continuation soon enough!

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**(Chapter 60 – Improper Payback)**

"Hokage-sama," an Elite Anbu reported, "our captain, Yamato, had ordered us to capture the four ninjas who escaped Konoha and injured many of our comrades."

The Hokage eyed the Anbu, "Really? When have they arrived?"

"Just this morning, Hokage-sama." The elite Anbu replied, "Yamato have them in the Headquarters in custody. They are in his office, lecturing them. He had Sai's Anbu license on hold."

Tsunade smirked at what had been done to discipline them.

"I'll visit them later on." Tsunade said, "In Yamato's office, right?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Yamato had never left his office; he had been interrogating them strictly. He had locked his office, it seems like he didn't want to be disturbed."

"Alright, dismissed." Tsunade went back to her paperwork.

Meanwhile…

Sai held his chuckle as he eyed Yamato who was holding his, too.

"Can you believe it? They actually fell for my 'scolding' antics?" Yamato said in a hush-hush tone.

Jiraiya smirked, "Tsunade fell for your lame excuse? C'mon!"

"Hey, I hope you don't mind having you all tied up on your chairs, right?" Yamato still said in his hush-hush voice, "Remember, I'm **scolding **you."

The four ninjas bit their lips, trying to hold their laughs and Yamato had a hand over his mouth, his eyes closed in delight of what they have done.

"So you got what's needed?" Yamato asked in a low voice, "I mean, you really injured the Special Guards just for this thing, there must be something, you know."

"Yeah, it's in my holster." Tenten replied.

"Great!" Yamato cheered in his low voice, "Well, let's just wait for the Hokage to lecture you. After that, I can save your butts and have your licenses back."

Yamato waved the Anbu license on his desk and placed it back down, "Your license too, Sai."

"Yamato-taichou!" a voice from the outside called.

Yamato tiptoed across the room and intentionally broke a vase and yelled, "I'm disappointed at you guys! I can't believe what you have done!"

"Uhm, Yamato-taichou?" the voice called.

"You did not only betray me, but also Konoha!" Yamato was smiling as he was scolding, the four ninjas still holding their laughs, "How could you do this to me? You clothed yourselves as Anbus and even lied to me! Sai! I thought we were partners! You literally broke my trust in you!"

"Yamato-taichou!" the voice called louder.

"WHAT!" Yamato exclaimed.

"The Hokage's here to see the criminals." The voice answered.

"CRIMINALS? WHAT! Hey, we're not criminals!" Sai playfully accused.

"Shut up! You only speak when I tell you to do so." Yamato gave a two-thumbs-up to them and winked and they nodded, replacing their oh-please-let-me-laugh faces to oh-I'm-so-freaking-dead ones.

Yamato got to his door and unlocked it, opened it, allowing the Hokage in. Yamato closed the door after her and locked it.

"And here I thought you would stop after having your licenses on hold." Tsunade stared at each and every one of them.

She stopped at Jiraiya, "Oh, let me guess. Did my foolish teammate entice you to do such foolish acts?"

Jiraiya shook his head, "Tsunade, we're only trying to help-"

"Help! Jiraiya, what kind of help is injuring the whole brigade of Anbu Special Guards? Is that help!" Tsunade told him aggressively, "WELL THANKS FOR HELPING ME GET ANGRY, JIRAIYA."

"It's true; we're only trying to help you, Hokage-sama!" Tenten reasoned, "In fact we found the other ingredient to mix with the extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato!"

"Ahuh, and when you were on it, the sea turned into a desert, hmm?" Tsunade mocked.

"It's in my holster!" Tenten pleaded, "Hokage-sama, I wouldn't mind if I have to live the rest of my life as a civilian, but just get the cure from my holster."

Tsunade seemed to be buying her lies and harshly opened Tenten's leg holster and took out the vial which contained a red powder. There was a note at the bottom; it told her what the ingredients were.

And when she read what the ingredients were, her face turned from angry to confused to shocked and last but not least, to a why-didn't-I-think-of-that-one-before face.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Yamato asked.

"I'm a representative from the Judicial Council." A feminine voice replied.

Tsunade rolled her eyes, knowing that the Judicial Council might take the side of the four ninjas in question.

Tsunade shook her head and Yamato said, "This is a private interrogation, we can't allow you to-"

"I have a permit from the daimyo." The feminine voice interrupted, "If you're not allowing me in, then I'll force myself in."

**(_A/N:_ The Hokage is not the complete ruler of the Fire Country. There's a position higher than it, which is the daimyo. The type of government is like a parliament. President/RoyaltyDaimyo, Prime MinisterHokage, ParliamentJudicial Council. So if there's any command from the daimyo, it should be considered twice by the Hokage before reasoning out.)**

Tsunade sighed and nodded. Yamato opened the door and in came a woman probably in her thirties, who had violet-bluish hair, wearing a black kimono-style blouse and olive green khaki pants and finally, a pair of 2-inch white stilettos. **(_A/N:_ O.o If you're walking around with that on for some hours in a day… crap! OUCH! And I wonder if they snap… stilettos, oh the mystery of them.)**

"The Judicial Council wants Jiraiya, Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Tenten in question." The woman said, "The other one, Sai, is under the care of the Anbu Headquarters. However, whatever the majority decision will be with the 3 other jounins in question will go the same with the Anbu."

"Now?" Tsunade asked.

The woman nodded, "Now."

"Release the 3." Tsunade told Yamato.

"And also, while waiting for the decision, Sai is in house arrest. He's an Anbu and he's dangerous if he is proven a criminal as well as these three. But if these three are proven innocent and did a forgivable and reasonable act, then we can let Sai go free and he will be promoted to Elite Anbu, under Yamato's squad." The woman gave the official announcement paper to Tsunade, "And if these three are proven innocent, they will have their licenses back without any question even from the Hokage."

The woman continued however in a low tone, "But if these three are proven guilty, their licenses will be taken away along with their archives in all ninja departments and these documents will be burned in public. These 3 will then be in the Anbu Headquarters' dungeons, where the most notorious of criminals are imprisoned. Sai will also have the same fate as theirs, his licenses – both Anbu and jounin; will be confiscated, to be burned along with his archives in all ninja departments in public. He will be imprisoned in the dungeons and will be given either death sentence or lifetime imprisonment for deceiving, helping who may be considered criminals and violating the Anbu Rules and Regulations."

Tsunade eyed the woman with deadly glares and the woman eyed her back, "Ma'am, I'm just doing my job. But do know that I am a part of the Judicial Council's Representative House. I can do this even without your acknowledgement."

"Yes, I know that." Tsunade rolled her eyes and said inaudibly, "Damn the daimyo and his Judicial Council antics."

After Yamato had released Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten, the woman said, "You don't know how strong I am, so if you dare escape, I will bring you in front of the Judicial Council with enough bruises to shut your craps. I'm not going to tie you up, shackle you or even handcuff you. If you follow me in silence until we get to the Judicial Council Court, we can do our best to prove you innocent."

"Tsunade-sama," the woman bowed to the Hokage, "I thank you for your cooperation. She turned to the ninjas that were going with her and said, "Let's go."

And with that, the woman, along with Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten, left Yamato's office.

"You heard what the woman said, Sai." Tsunade left the office in anger, "Yamato, escort Mr. Sai to his house and put lock seals in every window and every door of his house."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Yamato bowed.

To all these people concerned about the situation, it was just now when they realized that spelling 'trouble' would really mean… well, trouble.

_TBC…_  
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**Tsunade gives back somebody's jounin license, gives back his Anbu license and promotes him to elite Anbu, to work under Yamato's squad. This somebody was also given the finished concoction of Sakura's cure. Tsunade says this was his last chance for redemption. And for him, it was true. As he was pondering, he now knows that there's no more turning back. His moonlit sadness was too much to bear. Discover the sadness of the one person who denied all things wonderful – Uchiha Sasuke.**

**Unveil all odds: _Just One Last Time_**

"_**You can have your jounin license back."**_  
**-Tsunade**

**_A/N:_ Hehe, the next chapter will use the song, _Gemini_ by an OPM band named _Spongecola._ It's not really a sad song but its mood does display moonlit sadness. Now, what do I mean by 'moonlit sadness'? Have you ever found yourself staring at the moon and then an unexplainable sorrow suddenly explodes inside you? That's what moonlit sorrow is. Okay, enough explanations… Just enjoy the next one!**

**Also, the song _Gemini_ is still available. It's gonna be used for the next chapter. Just include in your reviews or PM me if you want a copy.**

**Reviews please!

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**_TODAY:_ I AM FINALLY LIVING MY YEAR-LONG DREAM! After last year's rigorous training with the senior editors, now, it's my turn to be one of the bosses of the school paper! I AM NOW A MANAGING EDITOR!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	61. Just One Last Time

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ To those who have the song _Gemini_ by Spongecola, please do play the song while reading this chapter to give more drama. Thanks! Oh and... brace yourselves for some SasuSaku!**

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(Chapter 61 – Just One Last Time)**

Tsunade summoned Sasuke into her office. It was nighttime now.

"Your psychologists and psychiatrists told me that you had an incredible boost in your sessions." Tsunade told him, "They were recommending for you to stop attending the sessions. They think you're perfectly normal now."

Sasuke just stood there. Then his eyes showed confusion when he saw a familiar license on the desk being held by Tsunade and pushed it towards the edge of her desk, facing him.

"And I think I'll take their suggestion." Tsunade smiled, "You can have your jounin license back."

Sasuke bowed to her as a sign of gratitude.

"And I've been digging the Anbu Headquarters' archives lately. I was thinking if… I can put you back in your job, the same job before you left Konoha a few months ago." Tsunade continued, "Even a promotion!"

Sasuke could only listen and another license was pushed on the edge of the desk facing him, beside his jounin license. His eyes widened when he read the license's label.

"I'm giving you your job back as an Anbu… but as prize for your recent questionable mysterious good behavior, I'm promoting you as an Elite Anbu. You will start working under the command of Captain Yamato of the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade."

Sasuke bowed again as a sign of thanks.

"Oh and by the way, can you do me a little favor?" Tsunade smiled at him, "Can you give Sakura's cure?"

Sasuke's eyes widened at that statement and finally spoke, "What?"

"I said, 'give Sakura's cure'." Tsunade repeated, "I mean… no nurse wanted to deliver the cure to her or even let her swallow the cure."

The Godaime Hokage pulled a 4-inch vial on the table containing violet liquid.

"How will I cure her? She's still probably awake at this time." Sasuke looked at the wall clock, "And she will feel my presence… she will go insane."

Tsunade raised her index finger, trying to note something and added, "Then use a tranquilizer medication."

She pulled out a small injection with its needle capped and a clear liquid inside. She placed it beside the vial and said, "Give this to a nurse and tell her I gave you permission to do this."

She began writing a permission note and continued, "It's up to you how will you give this medication to Sakura."

She handed him the permission note and he read it a bit.

"Off you go." Tsunade said as she stood up to stand beside her huge window panels, overlooking the town of Konoha, also appreciating the presence of the crescent moon and the stars in the lonely velvet dark sky.

Sasuke pocketed his two licenses and took the vial and the injection.

"You may start your duty as an Anbu tomorrow." Tsunade added before Sasuke left the office.

Sasuke arrived in the hospital and gave the permission note to a nurse at the receiving desk and the small injection. The nurse bowed and signaled Sasuke to follow her.

"Normally at this time, she's awake." The nurse said as she unlocked the door to Sakura's room, "But if she's asleep, then we don't need to use the tranquilizer."

At the instant the nurse opened the door, darkness embraced them. It was like this room was the prison of a horrible sleeping monster. And the nurse was nervous at her every step. She observed Sakura as she listened to her breathing and her movements.

The nurse looked over her shoulder and nodded, whispering, "She's asleep."

Sasuke just nodded back and the nurse pocketed the small injection and folded the permission note, pocketing it as well. She bowed to him as she got out and closed the door.

The room was illuminated by the crescent moon, which seemed to be directly outside the window. Small, but it seemed like it was within a few meters' reach, however, it still seemed so far away.

_Come a little closer  
Flicker in flight_

It was all weird to Sasuke. There's something weird about the moon today. It was like… the moon had eyes, and so did the stars that accompanied it. The said pink-haired monster asleep, not known as a monster any more… How she looked like Justice and Truth… Blindfolded and tied down. With the moonlight caressing her angelic face, she did seem like those goddesses.

_We'll have about an inch's space  
But I'm here I can breathe in  
what you breathe out_

Sasuke ended up looking at Sakura's blindfolded eyes. How he wanted to see this big happy green orbs staring back at his stoic onyx ones. Next, he looked at Sakura's lips. It sent shivers down his spine… she rarely kissed her, ditch that, he **never** kissed her. They were engaged once but… yes, he did kiss her but needless to say, to him it wasn't a kiss because there were no feelings. Just for the sake of making her happy, he kissed her. What was his purpose of marriage? Well, to have a bunch of kids running around his house with Uchiha surnames, that's what. Sakura had asked him if he loved her, and he said 'no'. That broke her heart. But the truth was… he does.

_Let me know if I'm doing this right  
Let me know if my grip's too tight  
Let me know if I can stay all of my life  
Let me know if dreams can come true  
Let me know if this one's yours too  
'Coz I see it  
Oh, and I feel it right here  
And I feel you right here  
_

He was afraid to tell the truth. He was afraid to tell her how much he loved her. Why? His big proud ego said so. How does **she** do it? Swallow up all her pride and love him unconditionally? He felt inferior to her at the moment. He was selfish and he only thought about himself, not imitating what she does… to forget about the egocentric ideals of life and learn the powerful strength called Love. Sadly, he couldn't. Why? Let's just say flatly that the answer is because he's an Uchiha. An Uchiha avenger – who has done enough damage to the one responsible for killing his clan, who is Uchiha Itachi, his brother, needless to say, his childhood hero, too. All the hate he felt, he replaced with love. However, the pride left by the hate, the anger, the vengeance, it was still alive inside of him, finding it hard to actually show the new feeling called 'love'.

Damn, why is he thinking of all this whenever he is beside her? Just her silent presence pricks his heart badly… no, not only her silent presence. All her memories with him, those moments… they stabbed through his soul like permanent swords. Now is the chance for redemption. He was finally given the ability to deliver her from suffering.

Wanting to be sure, Sasuke got out for a while and returned with a bottle of water in his hand. He uncapped the bottle and placed his hand on her chin, gently pushing it downwards and poured some water into her mouth.

To his dismay, the water poured back out from her mouth and onto her hospital gown and on the bed too. Good thing Sasuke didn't put the cure yet… or it will be all a waste. He grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket and tried to lessen the mess. He gently wiped the mess from her porcelain skin and dried the rim of her hospital gown, which was the only area dampened by the spill. Sighing, he pocketed his handkerchief and he capped the bottle again and sat beside her, placing the bottle on the bedside table, just beside the vial.

_The vacuous night  
Steps aside to give meaning  
To Gemini's dreaming  
_

Sasuke had to think. How can he let her drink the medication? There was no other way to do it. Sighing, he removed the tall cork of the vial and the fragrance of the cure surrounded him. He didn't want to know what's going to happen next or what he thought of again to get her cured. He just closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He couldn't back out now.

_The moon on its back  
and the seemingly  
veiled room's lit  
by the same star_

He was still thinking about it. He was gathering enough confidence to do **it**. He had never done… wait, wait, wait. He has done **it** before, many times, in fact at those times, he even done **them** effortless. Why does his heart beat so fast now? Not only does his heart beat fast, but also it seemed like it had been skipping beats. He was sweating cold and he was nervous. What? Why now? Think about those times… he's done **it** before! He's done **it** again and again before, so why can't he do **it** now? Okay, that's it, that's the last straw. He finally breathed in and, in what seemed to be a desperation move, he drank the cure until the last drop from the vial but he did not swallow it.

_Let me know if I'm doing this right  
Let me know if my grip's too tight  
Let me know if I can stay all of my life  
Let me know if dreams can come true  
Let me know if this one's yours too  
'Coz I see it  
Oh, and I feel it right here  
And I feel you right here_

Sasuke stood up from his seat and walked over to Sakura. He cupped her chin and pushed it downwards, parting her lips and **kissed** her, his eyes automatically closing. He finally did **it**! With the other hand, he pressed his thumb and index finger a bit on the either sides of her throat as he continued transferring the cure from his mouth to hers. Since she can't swallow, he had to push the liquid in order for the nerves in her throat to know what's going on and open itself and allow the liquid to pass. The fingers on either side of her throat allowing it to open and let the liquid flow with ease.

So, Sasuke slid his tongue in and pushed the liquid down her throat. Sasuke could feel the liquid passing down her throat, since he can feel the peristalsis starting from her throat travel down her system. When it was over, Sasuke noticed that violet liquids spilled a bit from her mouth, droplets trickling until her jaw line.

With his hands he wiped away the unwanted mess. Guessing that she will be okay, he reached for the cloth's knot from behind her head. He untangled everything and she was removed from the blindfold.

Sighing, he stared at the moon outside, who was witness to his saving act. The moonlight illuminated half of Sasuke's handsome face. He closed his eyes, knowing that that might be the last time he'd ever kiss her again. She will be back to normal now, she's home and she will be told about everything that had happened. She will be back to her job as a very active medical ninja and she'll probably be helping out the Hokage. She will be wooed by nonsense shilly-shally suitors and he hoped she'll turn them all down. Nevertheless, she might or will push him away and well, the further details he wished to stop thinking.

He walked to the window and opened it, the night breeze caressing his face as the moonlight surrounds him of the sorrow, the realization that this might be also the last time he will be with her. The wind gently blew his raven locks and he closed his eyes, sighing.

The same sorrow, the same loneliness he felt when his clan had gone a long, long time ago, had haunted him again right now. No, it was not the same… The sorrow, the loneliness he felt right now was not the same as he felt way back then… What he felt right now was far intense than the sorrow and loneliness he embraced from before. His pristine sorrow was now not fused with anger, his loneliness not tainted with vengeance… no, because these feelings were pristine, void of any reprisal, void of resentment… Because they were so pure, it felt much, much more intense. It pained him.

If only he could do the right thing just one last time… to tell her how he felt. But he had guessed it was all too late. He can't turn back the hands of time… Yes, even the great Uchiha heir didn't harness the power or the knowledge, even the permission, the right, to turn back the hands of time. Maybe after the life of vengeance, now he'll live a life of regret.

Opening his eyes, he stared back at the moon and slowly turned at his heel and left the room after taking one last look at Sakura. On his way out, he told the nurses that they had to remove the belts from Sakura for she's cured as soon as she wakes up tomorrow morning.

Sasuke walked back to his house on the empty streets, alternating the glances between the shadowy pavements and the lonely starry moonlit night sky.

…Yes, everything was going to change from now on. He's lonely again. Like what Tsunade said, he was back to normal. And for some reason, it didn't feel good to be back.

…His heart felt so lost on the way homebound.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Yamato welcomes the new elite Anbu in his squad: Uchiha Sasuke. After a quick briefing, Sasuke goes to the Konoha Hospital to visit Sakura. But he hesitated and decided to listen on her doorsteps. And who would've thought listening could be so tiring, too?**

**On the next chapter: _Reborn_**

"**_NARUTO, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!"_  
-Haruno Sakura**

**_A/N:_ Hehe, now you know why the fic's entitled _Homebound_. That's only one. But there are really numerous reasons why.**

**WEE! SAKURA'S AWAKE ON THE NEXT CHAPTER! Okay, I'm gonna shut up now.**

**Review, review, review!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	62. Reborn

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

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_**

**_AUTHOR'S EXTRA THANKS:_ Wow, the reviews skyrocketed at Chapter 61! I felt so ecstatic that you guys LOVED it! Thanks to those who reviewed and to those who have continued reading Homebound, to my supporters who have served as my inspiration to each and every chapter of Homebound and the recent and upcoming fics I'm writing and I would be writing. Please keep supporting me. Homebound won't go this far without you guys. You fellas are the very reason why I still feel so happy every time I write a new chapter of Homebound or a new fic. Thank you so much for making Homebound my greatest fic so far!**

**_UPDATES!_ Yay! Typhoon Season finally rears its ugly head in the country! Which means… more suspended classes due to intense storms! And in one day, I was able to finish 2 chapters: Chapter 74 and Chapter 75. I'm on my way to writing Chapter 76!

* * *

**

**(Chapter 62 – Reborn)**

"Eh? You?" Yamato asked as the new elite Anbu bowed before him in his office, "You're in my squad?"

Sasuke nodded; his mask in his hands, "I was assigned by the Hokage to your squad."

Sasuke was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, the sleeves only until past his elbows, the traditional dark violet Elite Anbu vest (this is like the jounin vest, it's just that there's no high collar), a pair of black slacks, and black ninja sandals. He has a katana with a navy blue handle strapped onto his back, and of course the standard weapon holsters are strapped on too.

"With your strength and intelligence, you might even surpass me in leading the squad." Yamato snickered a bit. He also had his mask off. His mask was on his desk.

"No, Sir." Sasuke replied.

Yamato smirked, "Do you know me?"

"You are Captain Yamato of the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade-"

"No, no, no, no. Other than that."

Sasuke stayed silent.

"Do you know Sai?" Yamato asked, "Well, do you know?"

"He was my replacement in Team Kakashi when I was gone from Konoha 4 years ago."

"Right you are." Yamato smiled, "Now, do you know me?"

"You were the replacement for Hatake Kakashi in our team."

"Now, that wasn't too hard of a question, neh?" Yamato nodded, "So knowing me quite a bit, I expect that we won't have any problems because in some way, we have been teammates. I hope you won't be a rebel anymore and you will agree to follow my orders. It's not so hard to do, you know… as long as there is cooperation. Do you understand, Mr. Uchiha?"

"Yes, Sir." Sasuke answered.

"Great!" Yamato grinned, "You can just call me Yamato. Welcome to the squad, Uchiha Sasuke."

Yamato held out his hand and Sasuke reached for it and they shook hands.

"Now, you do know the basic Anbu formations, the codes and the rules that apply, and other basic information, since from what I read from your archives, you were an Anbu before you left Konoha once again a few months ago." Yamato got a book from his drawers and placed it on his desk, "So I just need to give you one book. That's the Elite Anbu Manual. I make it a requirement that you get yourself well-acquainted by its contents."

Sasuke took the book.

Yamato added, "Strategic formations, war formations, sortie formations, search and rescue formations, hunter formations… All kinds of Elite Anbu formations are in that book. Also, the codes, the commands, the rules that apply, the regulations we follow about concealing the identities of each and every Anbu and Elite Anbu alike, the guidelines… everything you need to know about being an Elite Anbu is in that book."

"I just want you to know, Mr. Uchiha," Yamato concluded, "I handle a big squad. Now our squad is mostly used to hunt down notorious missing nins, who are sighted to be around Konoha, our squad is also used to protect the Konoha gates and whenever there's a war, we are always positioned in the frontline. And because that's so, it means we're just one team. And because there are more than ten Elites in the team, I just give out one-word or phrased commands. So it's really a requirement that you know what each one-word and phrased commands mean, which is in that book as well."

Sasuke nodded.

"The Headquarters is holding a drill for new Elites next week." Yamato informed, "So you have to be present there. The drill is all about the formations… and all about the book I've given you just now. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir." Sasuke replied.

"For some reason, you're well-behaved." Yamato chuckled, "Not the rebel I know. Your time off starts now, so you have to return to the Headquarters after two hours. This will be time your off from now on, so remember what time it is and the time two hours from now. Okay, you're dismissed."

Sasuke bowed and got out of the office. The first thing that came into his mind was to visit Sakura. But he guessed he'll just try to feel from outside her door… he can't enter her room anymore. Ditch that, hell, he can't find the guts to enter her room anymore. Now that she's normal, of all the things he's done, she'll ignore him now… moreover, hate him.

Sasuke arrived in the hospital and made his way to Sakura's room. He stood in front of Sakura's door. He had his feet glued there.

"Damn it Sakura! I thought you were never gonna be normal!" a high feminine voice echoed through her room.

Sasuke assumed that was Nara Ino.

"Hehe, I felt kinda dizzy when I woke up!" the sweet feminine voice replied.

Sasuke held his breath when he heard that voice, finally, she was okay. Haruno Sakura was back to normal.

"HMPH! I have to get married without you as the maid-of-honor!" Ino told Sakura, "And when you returned… well, Shikamaru and I visited you once and Sasuke entered this room to visit you. You suddenly woke up with deadly looks in your eyes and you have green chakra on your hands and you were aiming at Sasuke. Good thing Shikamaru used his Kage Mane no Jutsu and I went downstairs and found two Anbus. Shikamaru said you kicked the mask off one Anbu and it was **that **guy."

"That guy? That guy who?" Sakura asked.

"**THAT** guy. The one who calls you ugly?" Ino replied.

"Oh… **that** guy…" Sakura said, "Well, sorry for not being there in your wedding, Ino-chan."

"Hehe, that's okay. It has been great anyway." Ino answered sweetly, "But it could've been greater if you were there. But anyway…"

"Neh neh, can I see, can I see?" a high-pitched masculine voice shouted, "I just want to make sure if your curse is gone, Sakura-chaaaaaan!"

Sasuke smirked, Naruto the Dobe was also there.

"NARUTO, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" Sakura screamed.

* * *

**(-Switch view, into Sakura's room-)**

Naruto was pulling the rim of Sakura's hospital gown a bit to see her left shoulder.

Ino sent a hard punch to Naruto's face, "PERVERT!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN PERVERT, I'M NOT!" Naruto replied, his eyes going as wide as saucers, veins popping out of his temples and he pointed an accusing finger at Nara Ino, "THE ONLY PERVERTS I KNOW ARE KAKASHI-SENSEI AND THAT PERVERTED HERMIT!"

Sakura then showed her left shoulder to Naruto and said, "THERE NARUTO, CAN YOU SEE ANY BLACK COMMAS ON MY SHOULDER, HUH! NOW CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP!"

Naruto had a sheepish grin and scratched his head, "Hehe, sorry."

"HMPH!" Sakura regained her composure as she fixed her hospital gown.

"So, who cured you?" Ino asked.

"Of course, Tsunade-sama." Sakura replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, but you drank the cure?" Naruto questioned.

"Maybe some nurse injected it, well, doesn't matter anyway. I'm cured. What's the latest news? And who got my cure?"

Ino sighed and said, "I phoned Tenten once and she told me all about the cure. They said when your cousin was in Konoha, she had it with her. Tenten added that it was the Mizukage who gave the cure, although the cure belonged to his student, who is your cousin's teammate. The cure was an extract from the great tree of Takigakure no Sato!"

"Really!" Sakura's eyes widened, "So it was Kashime who brought the cure to Tsunade-sama?"

"Kashime's her name? Okay, so yeah, it was Kashime who brought the cure to the Hokage. Tenten also told me that Kashime was going to be the next Mizukage!"

"WOW!" Sakura cheered, "That's good news!"

"So anyway," Ino then turned her smile upside down and sighed, "right now, Neji, Tenten and Jiraiya are under the Judicial Council's custody. Sai is under house arrest and Yamato was assigned by the Hokage to seal all openings of Sai's house."

"What? Sai was arrested!" Sakura's eyes widened, "Why!"

Sasuke had this swirl in his guts at the tone of Sakura's voice. And so, he thought, _"Who is that Sai to Sakura?"_

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sasuke continues to eavesdrop as Ino tells stories to Sakura. But what happens when a whole bunch of mess becomes the topic of conversation. Now I'm not telling you of clutters, I'm telling you of total mess. What mess?**

**Find out on: _Eavesdropping_**

"_**THAT MEANS YOU AND SAI… YOU AND SAI ARE…! ARE!"**_  
**-Nara Ino**

**_A/N:_ SASUKE IS EAVESDROPPING! w00t! Anyway, hehe… Ino, Ino, Ino… you have no idea that Sakura and Sai are… are… are…! XD**

**The next chapter is obviously a comedic one. This is to cool off some rampaging thoughts after reading all that mess. Now, what if the mess becomes the topic of choice for the conversation!**

**SASUKE IS JEALOUS! SASUKE IS JEALOUS! –gets whacked by Sasuke-**

**Releina: x.X  
Sasuke: Serves you right.  
Releina: Why'd you do that!  
Sasuke: …  
Releina: You're a piece of! You're a piece of…! Of…! OF…!  
Sasuke: Shit?  
Releina: I didn't say that. Hehehe… You said that, not me.  
Sasuke: ARGH!  
Releina: Hey readers! Don't forget to drop a review! What the- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCKKKK! –gets strangled by Sasuke-**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	63. Eavesdropping

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

* * *

_**

**_UPDATES!_ I haven't added a word to the progressing Chapter 76 because of a very, VERY HECTIC school sched this week. But! I'm now plotting three new oneshot songfics:**

**1. _Tumatakbo_ (Filipino oneshot songfic, NejiTen; using the song: _Tumatakbo_ by Mojofly)  
2._ To Whom You Should Belong_ (English oneshot songfic, SaiSaku to SasuSaku; using the song: _Maybe_ by King – the revived version of _Maybe_)  
3._ Close to the End_ (English oneshot songfic, SasuSaku; using the song: _Close to the End_ by Mojofly)**

**BTW, _To Whom You Should Belong_ is like an alternate version of my Sasuke POV oneshot _Avenger_. If _Avenger_ is from SasuSaku to SaiSaku, the upcoming _To Whom You Should Belong_ is from SaiSaku to SasuSaku. So it's kinda like vice versa, neh?

* * *

**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"So anyway," Ino then turned her smile upside down and sighed, "right now, Neji, Tenten and Jiraiya are under the Judicial Council's custody. Sai is under house arrest and Yamato was assigned by the Hokage to seal all openings of Sai's house."

"What? Sai was arrested!" Sakura's eyes widened, "Why!"

Sasuke had this swirl in his guts at the tone of Sakura's voice. And so, he thought, _"Who is that Sai to Sakura?"_

**(Chapter 63 – Eavesdropping)**

"Well, Shikamaru told me that Sai went with Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten to get your cure from Sunagakure. They brought it back but they weren't allowed to go because their licenses were on hold by the Judicial Council and the Hokage. Still, they did go, disguising as Anbus but the Anbu Special Guards stopped them but they have to fight them, leaving most of them injured, others have mysteriously gone insane and only one survived, reporting what had happened to the Hokage. The daimyo issued an order to find out what was going on because of the feud between the Hokage and the Judicial Council was getting heated. And so, the Judicial Council held those 3 in custody but ordered that Sai should be in house arrest because he can be dangerous, especially that he's an Anbu. Now if those 3 are proven innocent, Sai will be released and promoted to an Elite Anbu and will be working under Yamato's command. Now, if they were proven guilty, Sai will be stripped off the Anbu position and he will be just a jounin… Not only that… Sai will be given either death sentence or lifetime imprisonment for violating the Anbu codes." Ino explained.

"I was supposed to be in their little mission, Sakura-chan." Naruto complemented, "But I couldn't leave Hinata-chan. Good thing I was here when they left because she felt awfully sick at that time! Imagine if I wasn't there! I couldn't save our baby!"

"You shouldn't really leave your wife, Naruto." Ino pointed out, "Hinata's going to have a hard time carrying the baby, you know... Her doctors already told you that, right?"

"Ehe, yup!" Naruto had a sheepish grin.

"As soon as I get out of here, I swear I'll be talking to Tsunade-sama." Sakura exclaimed, "Of all people, why does Sai have to get arrested!"

"Well, he **is** an Anbu, Sakura. He's pretty strong, you know…" Ino added, "He can be dangerous."

"Sai is a bastard like Sasuke-teme, so why would he do something stupid?" Naruto added.

Of course, Sasuke, who was just outside was listening to Naruto.

"_What did you say, dobe?"_ Sasuke thought, his left eye twitching in annoyance.

"Uhm, Naruto, the reason why Sai can do something stupid because he **is** a bastard like Sasuke." Ino said, in her that's-so-obvious tone.

"_If you weren't her best friend, I could have stabbed you to death!"_ Sasuke thought, now his right eye was twitching with the left.

Sakura sweatdropped, "Hey, Sai is not really that much of a jerk. Sai is a really kind person!"

"Crap! SAKURA HAD YOU GONE INSANE!" Ino shouted, "Some days ago, Sai walked into the flower shop and… and!"

"And what?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"He's so annoying!" Ino answered in frustration, "He was just buying flowers and he asked me to hurry up! How… hHHHow rude!"

Sakura chuckled, "That's natural! Of course he will ask you to hurry up since he's an Anbu! If he's late, he will be doing heavy paperwork."

"HMPH!" Ino pouted, "Now I'm kinda thinking you're backing up Sai instead of me!"

"Ino, that's not what I meant!" Sakura explained herself, "Sai and I have been good friends! And I knew him for four years, so… we got kinda close to each other."

Ino's eyes sparkled, "THAT MEANS YOU AND SAI… YOU AND SAI ARE…! ARE!"

"What the hell are you saying, Ino?" Naruto scratched his head.

"Well…" Sakura blushed, "He did kinda look and had the attitudes of Sasuke-kun, but what I liked most about him was his warm smile."

"YOU AND SAI HAVE BEEN…!" Ino pointed an accusing finger.

"STOP SHOUTING, INO! FINE, I ADMIT, SAI WAS MY BOYFRIEND BACK THEN!" Sakura shouted back.

Then, there was a moment of silence.

Outside, Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He was having guesses, _"They said Anbu… And they linked that Sai to Yamato… And hell, that guy became her boyfriend!"_

Sasuke clenched his fists. Oh boy, though he denied it to himself, he **is** jealous. It was a new feeling to him.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!" Ino and Naruto both jawdropped.

"Say what to your faces, what's wrong if he was my boyfriend?" Sakura raised an eyebrow, "He's kind anyway… just a little bit of a jerk, but that's okay. He wears it off, nevertheless."

"Anyway, Sakura, have you heard of Sasuke?" Ino suddenly asked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, oh great, now they're gonna talk about the guy eavesdropping from outside the room.

"Hmm? I haven't heard about him since I got myself in a, well… silly situation." Sakura scratched the back of her ear, "But as far as I can remember, Tsunade-sama talked to me about Sai getting sick-"

Naruto suddenly burst into a laugh.

The two girls stared at the laughing blonde, whose tears have been forming in his tightly closed eyes because he was laughing so hard.

"Neh, what's so funny about what I said?" Sakura asked Ino.

Ino shrugged her shoulders and stared back at Naruto who was catching his breath.

"You have no idea how ugly Sai looked when he was sick!" Naruto wiped the tears off his eyes using his sleeves, "He was blushing, his hair was a mess and he looked broke! He looked like he was dumped by a girl and lost his job! He looked like he was having the worst day of his life because of a chain of bad luck!"

Then, Naruto broke into laughter again.

Sakura giggled and Ino chuckled.

"He really looks messed up when he gets sick." Sakura sighed, "I only found out when I took care of him once. He got so sick once that he can't even stand up! He always had to stay in bed and had me do things for him. He rarely gets sick, but when he does, man oh man, he **is** sick!"

Sasuke suddenly had the question in his mind, _"I thought they were talking about me?"_

Then the trio burst into laughing, imagining the look of a messed up Sai.

"Yeah, while I was taking care of him at that time, I secretly brought my Polaroid camera!" Sakura had a devilish grin on her face, "And when he was asleep, I carefully made him sit up and I took a picture of him!"

"And then?" Ino asked in anticipation, "What happened? Did he wake up?"

"Wake up? Hell no! He's one heck of a sleeper like your lazy-bum Shikamaru!" Sakura stuck her tongue out and continued, "While he was sleeping, I took out my make-up kit and made him look like a clown!"

The trio laughed again and Sakura asked, "He woke up after I took a picture of him with make-up on his face and he began whining like a little boy when I showed him his pictures!"

"He didn't fight back?" Ino wondered.

"He was so sick he can't even look after himself, you know! He can't even grab the pictures from me!" Sakura giggled, "I have his pictures… hmm… now where have I placed his pictures? Oh yeah, I still have some of my stuff from Lee's place, so they're probably there. I'll show 'em to you a little later."

Sasuke can hear someone approaching Sakura's room… And this person was running!

"SAKURA, MY YOUTHFUL SPRINGTIME BLOSSOM!" a familiar high-pitched masculine voice shouted as he was approaching the room.

Sasuke then realized he needs to go. And so, if ever **that** person caught him, he wouldn't be recognized, Sasuke wore his Anbu masked and walked off from the room.

When Lee made one swift turn as his heels made smokes due to speed running, Sasuke turned to a corner parallel to where Lee was. Sasuke was just going home, he's heard enough for the day.

Lee then swiftly opened the room and tiptoed and twirled ballet-style into Sakura's room and shouted, "OH SAKURA, MY LOVE! YOU'RE AWAKE! COME; LET OUR YOUTHFUL LOVE SPRING INTO A WONDERFUL LOTUS!"

The trio raised an eyebrow at Lee whose eyes were closed, his chin was up and his chest was out, showing pride, but his arms were over his head, much like to a ballerina and he was on tiptoe on his right leg, his left leg was raised to his side, parallel to the floor and finally, adding touch to his explosive ballerina entrance, his left leg was bent on his knee, pointing to his right knee, but not touching it.

… So he looked like a ballerina in green apparel, with orange shin guards and ninja sandals, whose hair looked like a half coconut shell dyed in black with emulsion poured over it to shine and… oh if you could only add a pink tutu on his waist!

The trio laughed their guts out at the thought of adding a pink tutu on his waist.

"Wha… What's so funny?" Lee asked, finally opening his eyes.

The trio laughed only harder, all of them clutching their stomachs and closing their eyes, laughing like there was no more for tomorrow.

Lee replaced his ballerina stance to a standing pose and he wore a straight face, asking in confusion, "Was there something that I said?"

Sakura, Ino and Naruto paused for a while and looked at his straight face, oh man; he looked like a lost boy asking for directions, looking for his mommy.

Then, those three laughed again.

Oh yes, everything seems absolutely fine now… or so they think.

But hey, why not savor the moment, right?

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sakura moves in to her new apartment. But what will happen when she flips through the colorful pages of a picture album?**

**Homebound, Chapter 64: _Pictures Tell You A Thousand Words  
_**  
"_**Hello Santa Claus. You got thin, are you on a diet?"**_  
**-Sai**

**_A/N:_Hehe, Sai's line was err… weird? XD Anyway… Yes, the next chapter will be full of Sakura's reminiscing and more! Seeing that Sai's there of course. Well, that's all I could tell you now.**

**_Behind These Hazel Eyes _by Kelly Clarkson is now available. I'm going to use the acoustic version of this one for Chapter 67 to add more drama. But if you already have an album rip of _Behind These Hazel Eyes_, then that will do, too.**

**If you want a copy of it, just tell me in your reviews or via PM.**

**Drop a review!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	64. Pictures Tell You A Thousand Words

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

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_**FRESH FROM THE AUTHOR'S OVEN OF IDEAS:**_

**_Tumatakbo_ – NejiTen, Filipino songfic oneshot**  
… **Hmm… I just want to try to write a good NejiTen fic in Filipino, since I noticed that most of the Filipino fics are NejiTen… I just wanna take part in the list. XD**

**_Close to the End_ – SasuSaku English songfic oneshot/synopsis**  
… **Yup, you read it right! Synopsis – I have decided soon after I released the fic that I should make an expansion of this story.

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_**NEXT ON THE AUTHOR'S MENU:**_

**_To Whom You Should Belong_ – SaiSaku/SasuSaku English songfic oneshot.**  
… **If you have read my oneshot fic _Avenger_, which is a SasuSaku story ending up in SaiSaku, told in Sasuke's POV, this upcoming oneshot will be told in a Third Person POV (I might change my mind about this), and it will be from SaiSaku to SasuSaku.**  
… **This is the counterpart of the fic _Avenger_.**

**_Close to the End: The Full Story_ – SasuSaku English multi-chaptered fic**  
… **This is the planned expansion for the songfic oneshot _Close to the End.

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**_UPDATES!_ I'm on Chapter 77 right now. And yes, HOMEBOUND WILL BE OVER 80 CHAPTERS. Actually, I'm on the third to the last turning point of the fic, so yeah, I might finish Homebound soon. –sniff-

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**(Chapter 64 – Pictures Tell You A Thousand Words)**

Sakura was finally released from the hospital. She moved in to her new apartment, getting her stuff from Lee's place.

She was now fixing her place, and this was the second to the last thing to do before everything is into place. What was the last thing to do? Of course, clean up! But what is she doing right now? She's stacking her books, her scrolls, her notebooks and her picture albums in the bookshelf just near the hallway.

She sighed as she found the last thing to put onto the bookshelf – a picture album. Well, she had lots of picture albums, but this one had a brown leather cover. This, she sat with on the floor and opened it, browsing through the colorful pages. It was the album which housed the pictures of her and the new Team 7. Yes, the Team 7 reformed 4 years ago: Yamato as 'leader' of the team, replacing the recovering Hatake Kakashi, Sai, the arrogant new member, replacing the missing Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, who just came back to Konoha after 2 ½ years of training with Jiraiya and of course, Haruno Sakura, who had made a shockingly big, BIG, **BIG** improvement, thanks to her mentor, the Godaime Hokage, Tsunade.

The album also contained pictures of Tsunade and Shizune with Sakura, during the 2 ½ years when Naruto was gone. At that time, she had been training, too. A picture of a drunk Tsunade after losing a card game with Sakura and Shizune, Shizune and Tsunade both arguing about the whereabouts of the mice in the Hokage's office, Tsunade standing on a balcony, which positions her next to her carved face on the cliff where all the Hokages' faces were carved, and man, did she look proud. There were pictures of Sakura in there, too. Sakura being poured by a pail of ice cold water by Shizune because she was snoozing off while in training, hey, and Tsunade took that picture. Who can blame Sakura for snoozing off? She was thoroughly doing serious medical ninjutsu practices for one week, having an hour or two in the night to sleep and then she would have to report to the Konoha Hospital for medical practice sessions, and she got a little bit thinner there, too. Then, there was another picture, Tsunade and Sakura eating barbeque in the Eat-All-You-Can Barbeque restaurant, erm, Team Asuma eating together in the background, obviously, Choji was munching away. Then a sneaky Tsunade and Sakura played a prank on the snoozing Shizune on her desk. Tsunade put a nasty clown make-up on Shizune's face and Sakura took a picture of it.

There were also wedding pictures of Neji and Tenten. Aww… they were so sweet, she wished one day she would have a wedding as big as theirs. And Tenten didn't pick the flowers, she had been arguing with Neji that she will do the task but Neji was stubborn and he picked the flowers for the wedding. He even paid for everything! And it was pretty expensive since it was a garden wedding; the flowers were of course, from the #1 flower shop in Konoha: The Yamanaka Flower Shop, now being run by the newlywed Nara couple and the old Yamanaka couple. And Sakura was one of the few who were able to go in front and get a snapshot of Neji and Tenten's kiss, officially being announced as man and wife. There were lots of Neji's fangirls and Tenten's fanboys there, in front with their cameras, taking snapshots of their crushes finally bound forever by marriage. And those fangirls never chased and wished for Neji, for he dedicates his life forever with his wife and the same is through with Tenten's fanboys. They stopped giving her nice weapons on random days because they were rather afraid of her husband and else, she would only give special attention to her one and only. In the reception, a sneaky Kakashi, who was the commentator for the whole event, replacing an emotional Gai, grabbed Sakura's Polaroid camera and took a snapshot of her and Sasuke dancing during the waltz theme on the dance floor. Sakura felt a lot of emotions surging into her, staring at that picture… She was reminiscing her days with Sasuke, she was thinking if he loved her, of which she confirmed was not true after asking the question to him, she was thinking how romantic that night was, dancing their last one at another couple's wedding, she also felt angry with him and with herself.

Why? She felt enraged with herself because she was questioning her big aren't-you-supposed-to-be-smart brain why she loved a guy like him and why did she even think of trying to spend forever with him. Finally, she was angry with him because he didn't love her, he said his purpose of marriage was to have kids with her, he endangered her life, he tried to kill her dearest cousin, Kashime, who was like a sister to her, not to mention she was becoming Mizukage, he ticked off her mentor, and actually, if we'll enumerate all the reasons why Sakura hated Sasuke, we might not finish this chapter, so let's stop to the most simplified reason why she hated him so much. And in her blonde teammate's very words, she hated Sasuke because he was a bastard. But if you would translate that word into her language, it would automatically mean 'Sasuke-kun', but now it has another meaning! It means he is a jerk.

Sakura sighed and smiled at those events. She flipped through the pages and… well; the hind pages were especially reserved for… for her and Sai. Yeah, she didn't admit to herself for one second that she hugged Sai in the riverbank incident, but she never thought Sai would respond to her sudden burst of emotions. So that's when she knew that the 'soulless' Sai had feelings, too… He's just an expert at hiding them. But she flipped through the pages, nevertheless.

There was a picture when Sai and Sakura were smiling together and they took a picture of themselves. Sakura stole a shot when Sai was in the meadows, picking flowers for her. Then Sai stole a shot when Sakura was snoozing off in the Hokage Tower waiting area. Yamato took this picture while in hiding: Sakura and Sai were just a few centimeters away from kissing. Sakura can remember that, well, they didn't kiss… They would if only a certain spiky blonde-haired loudmouth didn't show up asking them where Yamato went because he stole his fishing rod and he was hungry.

Sakura blushed at the thought of Sai had kissed her once, twice, thrice and even more when they were still together. All of them expressed his love for her, not like the kisses of a particular raven-haired man. Yeah, so she was engaged to that man, kissed countless times by him, yet she didn't feel anything from them. They were non-expressive. She shook her head, dismissing the thought.

"_I don't want to think about Sasuke-kun anymore."_ Sakura sighed, _"I made a fool of myself by doing that suicidal jutsu to save him… But I guess it wasn't put into waste, it was really useful."_

She stood up, dusting her clothes from the dust on the floor and while she did, she dropped the album and two pictures came out. She bent down and picked up the album, checking if there were any crumpled pages and to her delight, there was none. Now she turned to the two Polaroid pictures. She was giggling at the sight of them. They were the pictures of Sai she told about to Ino and Naruto when she was still confined in the hospital. Now her giggling stopped to pull a big smile on her face. She picked up the two pictures and chuckled.

"These would look better not in the album." Then she smiled devilishly, placing the album into its reserved place in the bookshelf, "These would look marvelous in picture frames! I'll place them on the picture frame table near the hallway!"

She placed the pictures on the dining table and began cleaning up.

In Sai's house…

Sai suddenly sneezed, using his two hands to cover his mouth. He rubbed his nose a bit and breathed in, _"Who the hell is thinking of me!"_

"Hey Sai." A voice echoed. Sai was in his room, and all his windows throughout the house, his front door and back door was sealed with a lock seal, which looked much like a talisman. Since all windows were closed and secured, it was pretty hot in the house. So, all four air conditioners were turned on to their max freezing temperature to push out the heat in the house. One air conditioner was located in his room, the other in the living room, another in the vacant room and another was at his sketch area, where loads of sketchpads, brushes, pencils, erasers, well, everything that an artist like him needed.

"What do you want?" Sai roughly made his statement.

"Well, why don't you come out from your room?" the voice asked.

The voice came from the living room, which was downstairs.

"My room's door is open, so you can hear me." Sai answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "What difference does it make?"

"Just get your butt in here!"

Sai rolled his eyes sarcastically, annoyed by the presence in **his** house. He stood up from his bed and climbed downstairs to find Yamato dusting himself from black ashes.

"Hello Santa Claus. You got thin, are you on a diet?" Sai smiled, "Wait, and why are you here, Mr. Santa Claus? It's not yet Christmas!"

Yamato removed his blackened mask and wiped the dust off, "Well son, Mr. Claus is here to tell you you've been naughty when you should be nice. Sadly, you won't get any presents!"

_TBC…_  
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**Sai and Yamato starts a conversation after Yamato's 'Santa Claus' entrance. But on the other side of life, Sakura reports for duty to her mentor. And the aura that Tsunade emits was making Sakura nervous. What plan is Tsunade talking about?**

**Find out on the next chapter: _Big News_**

"_**S-Sa… S-S-Sa-Sa-Sas-Sa-S-Sa-Sa… SASUKE!"**_  
**-Haruno Sakura**

**_A/N:_ Stammering Sakura! Nyahahaha! Anyway, I somehow imagined Yamato one time in a Santa Claus outfit, and at that time, I was thinking of how Yamato would get into the house when all the openings to Sai's house are all locked. And then that clicked into place! Hmm… The next chapter will feature really BIG NEWS to Sakura. What kinda news? Hmm…**

**Just drop a review. You'll find out on the next chapter. –winks-

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**Please read my fics _Tumatakbo_ (Filipino fic, NejiTen) and/or _Close to the End_ (English fic, SasuSaku). THANKS!

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**The song _Behind These Hazel Eyes _(Acoustic) by Kelly Clarkson is still available. Inform me if you want a copy. This will be used in Chapter 67.

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**+Releina Artemis+**


	65. Big News

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday.

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**_DON'T PANIC!_ You guys have been questioning the couple of this fic. It's SasuSaku, you just have to deal with the SaiSaku parts BECAUSE IT'S ALL PART OF THE PLAN.

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**_UPDATES!_ So far, not so good, I haven't continued writing Chapter 77 since I was so friggin' busy. Hopefully, I'm gonna get some time to continue it soon.

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**(From the last chapter…)**

Sai rolled his eyes sarcastically, annoyed by the presence in **his** house. He stood up from his bed and climbed downstairs to find Yamato dusting himself from black ashes.

"Hello Santa Claus. You got thin, are you on a diet?" Sai smiled, "Wait, and why are you here, Mr. Santa Claus? It's not yet Christmas!"

Yamato removed his blackened mask and wiped the dust off, "Well son, Mr. Claus is here to tell you you've been naughty when you should be nice. Sadly, you won't get any presents!"

**(Chapter 65 – Big News)**

Yamato was seated on a high stool, leaning his elbows on the counter.

"I discovered that Tsunade-sama's real intention of not allowing us to help her cure Sakura is that she was afraid of making a mistake." Yamato spoke, "We're not medics, and our knowledge on medicine is only inferior compared to hers. So she thought, if we made a mistake, it might kill Sakura or worsen her curse and our efforts will only be a waste."

"I understand that reason," Sai responded, removing the teapot from the stove, "but I wish I wasn't on house arrest, you know."

"You know how to make tea?" Yamato mockingly said, "If you don't know how, then don't! Goodness gracious, are you trying to poison me with that?"

"Hmm… That's a pretty good idea, poisoning." Sai replied, pouring some steaming tea into Yamato's teacup, "Of course I know how to make tea, I'm not a moron like Naruto."

Yamato sighed, "When will you and Naruto make up? I mean, being friends with each other is not tough, right?"

Sai froze and eyed him with an are-you-kidding-me glare.

"What?" Yamato asked innocently as he took a sip from his teacup.

"Even if the heavens threw stones at me and the sea bashed me 'til my head bleeds madly, telling me to just be friends with that guy, I'll be darned and I'll prefer to rot in hell." Sai sat on a high stool across Yamato on the counter.

"Be thankful I'm not really doing this house arrest stuff seriously, Sai." Yamato smirked, "I could've killed you like other notorious criminals."

"Har-har-har, very funny. Please be noted that if I was proven guilty, I might be sentenced to death or have lifetime imprisonment, so be a good Anbu for me and get me out of this situation." Sai reacted, "What brings you here?"

"I deliver you good news, Sai." Yamato replied, "Oh and by the way, can you clean my mask? The ashes severely stained the poor porcelain white glow of my mask. It will ruin my dignity as an Elite Anbu captain!"

Sai took Yamato's dirty mask, which was seated on the counter and preceded to the sink, like a little boy not wanting to do his chores.

"Why did you enter my house through the chimney, anyway?" Sai asked, scrubbing the dirt off Yamato's mask using soap, running tap water and sponge.

"Your chimney is the only entrance to your house which I didn't seal. And it's 2 feet by 2 feet, so it's good enough that I could fit. I did it for special purposes… a visit like this is an example." Yamato answered.

"And how will you get out?" Sai questioned, "You'll have to dust yourself off again?"

"It's my time off, anyway. I can go back to my place and change." Yamato shrugged his shoulders, reaching for the drawer beside him, grabbing a towel and threw it at Sai who just finished cleaning his mask.

Sai caught the towel and wrapped his mask with it and placed it back on the counter. He sat on his high stool again and wondered, "So what's the good news?"

"Hmm… there's also bad news."

"That's the good news? What kind of good news is that?"

"No, no, I meant, there's good news and bad news." Yamato sweatdropped, "Which one would you want to hear first?"

"Bad news." Sai said, reaching for a teacup from the tea set shelf hanging on the wall near the counter, which was just beside him.

"Bad news… Uchiha Sasuke's in my squad." Yamato told him as he poured some tea into Sai's teacup.

Sai poured some tea into Yamato's teacup to return the favor and commented, "Where's the bad news in that?"

"He could ask me about stuff either related to you or to Sakura." Yamato pointed out, "What if he knows about you and Sakura? I asked him if he knew me and he said he knew that I was Kakashi's replacement back then in Team 7."

"So?"

"So… of course, he would ask me! What should I do if that happens?"

"Just shut up and think of what to say. You're a good liar anyway. So good you got me into house arrest."

"Ready for the good news?"

"Yeah, sure." Sai took a sip from his teacup.

"Sakura had been released from the hospital. She was healed." Yamato smiled.

Then, Sai paused. A smile tugging at his lips, "Really?"

"Yup!" Yamato added, "Now that she had disposed of her 'Sasuke-kun', you can try to woo her again."

Sai chuckled a bit and shook his head, "Damn, that's nonsense."

"Why not?"

Sai remembered the day when Sakura said goodnight to him, rejecting his love for her.

"Because we're done." Sai simply answered, while holding up a fake smile, "I admit defeat to Sasuke."

The next day…

Sakura made her way to Tsunade's office to ask who delivered the cure when she was in the hospital.

She knocked on the door and Tsunade replied, "Come in."

Then Sakura bowed and smiled at her sensei, "Good morning, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade was standing by her window panels, overlooking at the busy morning streets of Konoha and sighed, before turning her heels and smiled at the well Sakura, "Good morning, Sakura. Feeling better now?"

"Yes," Sakura bowed, "thank you very much for your concern. Tsunade-sama… who brought the cure to me? Did the nurses inject the cure or did I drink it subconsciously?"

"Uchiha Sasuke delivered the cure." Tsunade said, staring back at the busy town, "I told him that it's up to him how to cure you."

"S-Sa… S-S-Sa-Sa-Sas-Sa-S-Sa-Sa… SASUKE!" Sakura stammered, a faint blush emerged from her cheeks.

"C'mon Sakura, you call his name like it's hard to pronounce." Tsunade joked, "Is there a problem?"

"N-No! N-none at a-all!" Sakura regained herself after sighing, "But why did you choose him to do it?"

Tsunade turned her gaze to her student then back at the busy town, "It's to see if he's really gone back to normal."

"Normal? Of course he's the normal stoic bastard named Uchiha Sasuke." Sakura confidently replied.

Stunned by Sakura's sudden change of views for the raven-haired boy, her eyes widened a bit and closed her eyes, opening them again, glaring at the horizon, "He went through psychological and psychiatric mental corrections. The staff I built up concerned with his rotten I-get-what-I-want attitude said he has gotten rid of it and they suggested putting him back in his normal life."

"So you did?"

"I promoted him to elite Anbu. He's now a part of Yamato's team."

There was a moment of silence between the mentor and the apprentice.

"I have been making a big plan for you, ever since the day I started seeing the potential in you. You're better than me in my prime. Needless to say, I have seen everything. You went through a lot and you survived, your skills have surpassed mine. I think you're ready enough for my plan, Sakura." Tsunade sighed, gathering confidence.

"What are you saying, Tsunade-sama? It's not possible that I have surpassed you! You're my mentor and you're superior than your apprentice! That's how it should be!" Sakura was getting confused.

"That's a part of the preparation for my plan for you. I, your mentor, have thought everything I know, sparing nothing for myself."

Sakura froze at her statement, _"What the hell is Tsunade-sama saying?"_

"Sakura," Tsunade approached her student and embraced her, "you are going to be the wisest of them all…"

"Tsunade-sama, where are you getting at?" Sakura asked. Her mind cannot keep up from what was going on.

"Haruno Sakura," Tsunade stared proudly at her apprentice, holding her by her shoulders, "you are going to be the Rokudaime Hokage, my brilliant successor."

_TBC…_  
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**Sakura realizes that through the years under Tsunade's tutelage, she has been taught on how to carry a big responsibility. She then understands the big picture and accepts her fate as the next Hokage. However, Tsunade gives her a time off and hints her on a few things she should do before she steps into the responsibility of serving the people of Konoha. But it seemed like… it wasn't easy for Sakura to intrude a place of a dweller known to be stoic and dangerous.**

**Homebound, Chapter 66: _Unwanted Destiny_**

"**_And… if there's anyone you would want to apologize to, better do it now: better late than never, Sakura."_  
-Tsunade

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**_A/N:_ Was the decision of Tsunade making Sakura the Rokudaime, totally off guard? XD Well, let's just say it's all part of the plan. Anyway, I hope you're not yet getting fed up by this story, because I still need your support!**

**Oh well, I love your reviews, so might as well drop one, neh?

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**WAAAHHH! My brain is melting because of the periodical exams! Let's hope I get scores as high as my classmates… damn, being in an honor class is tough. –sigh- You see, I'm not really an honor student but the school's administration recognizes what I can do since I have been representing the school in the annual journalism competitions, but still, that's not a good enough reason to place me in a torture class! Why oh why! –cries-

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**The song _Behind These Hazel Eyes_ (Acoustic) is still available! PM me or say it in your reviews! This song will be used in Chapter 67.  
**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	66. Unwanted Destiny

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_SORRY!_ You might be wondering why I didn't update in a while. You see, last Friday and Saturday I was too busy with things and this Sunday, I got terribly sick, so I have been bedridden due to a very weak body and a burning fever.**

**I'll be updating the next chapter on Friday for a very special reason. Hehehe…**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Sakura," Tsunade approached her student and embraced her, "you are going to be the wisest of them all…"

"Tsunade-sama, where are you getting at?" Sakura asked. Her mind cannot keep up from what was going on.

"Haruno Sakura," Tsunade stared proudly at her apprentice, holding her by her shoulders, "you are going to be the Rokudaime Hokage, my brilliant successor."

**(Chapter 66 – Unwanted Destiny)**

Sakura could only stare back at her mentor with scared eyes… no they're not scared, they were shocked stares. Her mind went blank for a minute, due to severe thinking.

"_D-Di-Did s-she just say…"_ Sakura thought, _"I… I-I… I am going to be a Hokage!"_

Tsunade watched Sakura's reaction. She sighed and told her student, "Within this week I have planned to introduce you to Konoha… as their upcoming Hokage. After that, you will go around the town and check what should be improvised and you will be given a scheduled meeting everyday with the elders. And when you take your seat as the Rokudaime, you will do what needs to be improved."

"S-So… Th-That's why… You have been teaching me… about… taking a big… r-responsibility…?" Sakura asked.

"Yes. Ever since I started teaching you, I also taught you how to rule Konoha." Tsunade told her, "That's why I allow you to read books in the Hokages' Library."

Sakura sighed and straightened up, "How long have you planned this, Tsunade-sama?"

"Long enough." Tsunade smiled.

"_I'm actually here to say you that you should give back the licenses of Jiraiya-sama, Neji and Tenten."_ Sakura closed her eyes, _"…And I would want you to release Sai from his house arrest."_

"Preparations will start as early as tomorrow." Tsunade reminded, smiling proudly at Sakura.

"_I'm sorry, Naruto… I didn't want to take your dream away from you… But if this is what had been decided… then… so let it be."_ Sakura opened her eyes.

"The elders have given me their approval for you to become the Rokudaime." Tsunade continued, "I just received their agreement paper this morning."

Sakura could only breathe. She didn't know what to say yet.

"Do you accept your responsibility, Sakura?" Tsunade sternly asked.

Sakura gathered enough confidence and bowed, "I, Haruno Sakura, apprentice of the Godaime Hokage, accept my responsibility and my fate as the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage."

Tsunade's smile grew bigger, very proud of her student.

"You will be great, Sakura." Tsunade then turned to her window panels and stared at the busy town once more, "You will surpass me… I just know it."

Sakura straightened up and could only look at the floor, _"I… I… I don't know…"_

Something inside Sakura told her she didn't want to be the Rokudaime, and it tells her that the reason is Naruto should be the Rokudaime and one more thing… which she denied verifying… what was it? It was her feelings for…

"_Sasuke-kun, I'll turn my back on you now."_ Sakura finally verified, _"Since I always watch your back whenever you leave, now… it's your turn to watch me walk out of your life. This is **my** revenge."_

And since when did she have a grudge on Sasuke? She had countless reasons why she hated him so much now. And this big responsibility, will help her close all doors to him, she will have to give her heart to loving Konoha, the people, the job as Hokage… She will no longer depend on what she feels, but on what she knows. Yes, it was a perfect way to make a grand exit to Sasuke's life. She will have to kill her own feelings, her feelings for him.

"I want you to visit your friends today." Tsunade told her, "Celebrate, but don't tell them yet. Just say it's a perfect day for celebration. And… if there's anyone you would want to apologize to, better do it now: better late than never, Sakura. As soon as you're introduced as the future Rokudaime to Konoha, then you won't have much time for friends anymore. So take this day off."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Sakura turned on her heel, bowing before she left the office, "Thank you very much. I promise… I'll do my best."

Apologize… That's one hard word. Whom should she apologize to? Her heart was telling her she had to apologize to someone. Is it Sasuke?

"_Hell no."_ Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, _"But who? Naruto? But Tsunade-sama told me not to tell anyone yet… Ino? But I already apologized to her for my absence in her wedding! Who…?"_

Then she froze in her tracks. Yes, she had to apologize to **him**.

Before making her way out of the Hokage Tower, she went to her locker on the basement and searched her holsters there. In her locker, there were lots of medical tools, but she also kept spare weapon holsters and seals. And then, she read a piece of gray and yellow paper. She took the whole holster which contained the gray and yellow seal paper and ran off.

As soon as she arrived to her destination, she performed hand seals on the doorsteps of a house and a small blue chakra flame flowed on the tip of her right index finger. She then traced the edges of the seal paper on the door of the house. The seal paper on the door was similar to the ones she picked up from her locker earlier. When she finished, the seal paper fell off the door and turned into a puff of smoke as it fell on the floor.

Using enough chakra, she placed her hand on the doorknob of the front door and she just waited until her chakra traveled down the locks and when she heard a click, she turned the doorknob and she went inside the house. But before she did, she made some handseals and performed a genjutsu, to change the appearance of the front door. It had a seal on again, but it was only an illusion. If people noticed that the seal is gone, the dweller in that house might get into more serious trouble.

Coldness embraced her body. That was natural… All air conditioners were turned on to their maximum since all openings of the house were sealed. It looks like the dweller is in his room… probably sleeping or probably doing something else to amuse himself.

She walked her way to the dweller's sketch area, where she saw a lot of pinned sketches on the corkboards on the walls. She looked at the sketches and she saw one picture, pinned alone on one corkboard.

She looked at the other corkboards, all of them were full of sketchpad papers, but this corkboard was dedicated to only one sketch. It almost seemed like the sketch was sacred to the one who drew it…

Sakura could only hold her breath as she caressed the lines and shading of the sketch. The house's dweller drew this picture with great care, with great skill, with great inspiration, with great love, with great passion… with great sadness, too.

She saw the little round areas on the paper. She touched this and noticed that they made the paper have a different texture. She realized that the artist who made this sketch had been crying when he drew this self-portrait… His tears had stained the pristine image… the image of… Haruno Sakura.

Sakura could only bite her lips as she saw herself on the image. She was wearing a kimono and she was holding a bouquet of flowers with one arm, the other hand seemed to be tucking stray hairs behind her ear. She was beautifully smiling in the image. Her hair was being blown in the wind and cherry blossom petals seemed to be dancing around her in the self-portrait.

She never posed for the artist who made this… She never wore a kimono when she was with him. She still remembered when she said goodnight to him. Now, what she did stabbed her deeply.

She found her voice and whispered, "Sai…"

Her voice grew louder, "Sai? Sai, where are you?"

And in his room, Sai's eyes only narrowed as he trembled in shock… He had seen her enter his house, but still, he was shocked. He didn't know what to do… The woman he so loved, yet rejected him afterwards so easily, was in **his** house, **without** his permission. He was seated on the edge of his bed and as soon as he heard her footsteps on the staircase, he noiselessly made his way under the covers and tried to slow down his breathing.

He tried to regain himself from shock, he tried to be asleep.

"Sai?" Sakura arrived at the open bedroom of the house's dweller, the lonely artist who sketched a beautiful self-portrait of her.

She entered the room and looked at the person under the covers. She tried to stop her tears from falling as she saw this person once again. She noticed he was asleep.

She took a chair to sit beside him and she just had to wait for him to wake up.

Sai half-opened his eyes and knew that she was in his room. She was watching him, waiting to be noticed. He decided to stop pretending and tell her that he was aware of her presence.

"I'm awake." Sai said with his monotonous voice, which made Sakura almost jump up from her seat, "What do you want?"

_TBC…_  
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**Sai asks Sakura's reason of trespassing. Sakura was having difficulty in finding the courage to talk to him, knowing that she had hurt him much. Sakura tries starting things off but something goes terribly wrong and Sai snaps his composure and turns roughly emotional. Will Sakura get her apology done?**

**On the next chapter: _Behind These Hazel Eyes_**

"_**Never, Sakura, never… I shouldn't have loved you…"**_  
**-Sai**

**_A/N:_ Okay, the next chapter will be SaiSaku… emotional SaiSaku. But anyway, what would happen next? Hmm… that's for you to find out.**

**You can still avail of the song _Behind These Hazel Eyes (Acoustic)_ by Kelly Clarkson. Just PM me or tell it to me via review.**

**There's a little button there saying "Submit a Review", might as well try it!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	67. Behind These Hazel Eyes

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ It would be nice if you would have the song _Behind These Hazel Eyes_ by Kelly Clarkson playing while reading this fic.**

**To those who still aim darts at the Sai x Sakura:**

**STOP IT. Hey, this is my fic, you don't tell me what to do! It's for the betterment of the SasuSaku pairing in this fic, I SWEAR! Geez, I'm getting pushed to the edge by you guys already! Shut up and just read! We'll get to the SasuSaku part later on! THIS FIC WILL END IN SASUSAKU, OKAY? Now stop blabbering about my second fave pair (SaiSaku). Hmph!**

**_WARNING!_ SaiSaku chapter. Don't like? Don't read.**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Sai?" Sakura arrived at the open bedroom of the house's dweller, the lonely artist who sketched a beautiful self-portrait of her.

She entered the room and looked at the person under the covers. She tried to stop her tears from falling as she saw this person once again. She noticed he was asleep.

She took a chair to sit beside him and she just had to wait for him to wake up.

Sai half-opened his eyes and knew that she was in his room. She was watching him, waiting to be noticed. He decided to stop pretending and tell her that he was aware of her presence.

"I'm awake." Sai said with his monotonous voice, which made Sakura almost jump up from her seat, "What do you want?"

**(Chapter 67 – Behind These Hazel Eyes)**

Sakura seemed to have lost her voice for the third time that day. This man, in front of her… she taught him to love, and the first person he loved was her. She freely accepted his love for her but when Sasuke returned, he rejected him like there had been nothing in between them.

"You, the Godaime Hokage's apprentice, should know very well not to remove any explosive lock seals from a house of a person under the house arrest confine." Sai told her, "You went over the rules just to get here. What do you want?"

_Seems like just yesterday, you were a part of me  
I used to stand so tall; I used to be so strong  
Your arms around me tight, everything it felt so right  
Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong_

Sakura's mind went blank again. There were many things going on in her mind right now, like how can she explain herself or how to straighten up in front of the man she used to love. The man she used as a substitute for Sasuke, the man she said goodnight to and disappeared within a snap of her fingers, the man who was the first to calm her down when she became berserk, the man who had sketched her on his canvases countless times, the man who learned to love her… when this man was supposed to be void of emotions, soulless.

And for Sai, he couldn't move – maybe because she was watching his back, making him insecure. This woman had taught him to embrace all emotions, and when she walked out of his life, all these emotions exploded inside him, except the emotions of bliss. He had closed his emotions down again, because he knew, if he loved once more, he would only get hurt.

"What?" Sai finally broke the long, awkward silence in them, "Are you here to tell me that you've made a mistake?"

"_I couldn't do it… I couldn't do it… To apologize to the man I've hurt, but he loved me unconditionally… I was rude and I knew it, now that I'm in front of him… I couldn't do it…"_ Sakura's tears started to roll down her cheeks. She was weak.

_Now I can't breathe, no I can't sleep  
I'm barely hanging on_

"**I** made a **big mistake** in my life, Sakura." Sai told her, "Certainly, the two of us have been wrong. And I got hit the most, because I welcomed the fact that I let my guard down for just those moments, those times… with **you**. I've made a big mistake. I wouldn't be like this if it wasn't for **you**."

_Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes_

He tried to regain himself, trying to stop those tears he had last shed a few months ago, when she broke his heart for the second time, rejecting his love for her that starry night. Her presence kills him.

"If you hadn't taught me to embrace emotions, then I wouldn't live like this. A life full of dull sadness… dull loneliness." he continued, "I was a fool."

"I…" Sakura started to speak, "Sai, I just wanted you to know…"

"Wanted me to know what!" Sai completely lost himself, as he sat up and stared at her with anger, "That now you want me back because your Sasuke-**kun** is intangible now? That he was out of reach for you? That you closed your feelings for him now? Is that what you wanted me to know, Sakura!"

Sakura's tears flowed like an eternal river; now her small hands covered her mouth and she shook her head in disagreement with what Sai just said.

_I told you everything, opened up and let you in  
You made me feel alright, for once in my life  
Now all that's left of me is what I pretend to be  
So together, but so broken up inside_

"It was just when you said goodnight to me on the bridge that night… that darned night… when I realized that you only used me! You just played with me to satisfy your need, your cravings for your Sasuke-**kun** to come back! And you have no idea how that hurt me the most, Sakura!" he couldn't calm down; now tears were also flowing down from his eyes.

Sakura closed her eyes and decided she should just let him have his way… for now.

"I shouldn't be like this, Sakura." Sai corrected his tone, his voice still tainted with anger, sadness and loneliness, "I couldn't keep my emotions in check anymore because of you… You didn't know how much I loved you, but I just admitted defeat to Sasuke… I could never have your favor."

_Now I can't breathe, no I can't sleep  
I'm barely hanging on_

"Never, Sakura, never…" Sai continued, "I shouldn't have loved you…"

Sakura sighed and finally had the courage to stand within his anger, "I just wanted you to know that… that I never regretted loving you, Sai."

And now that silenced Sai. He diverted his gaze from her and wiped away his tears, his tears for **her**.

_Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes_

"Yes, maybe we did make a mistake. But I didn't consider it one… And I can't consider it one because I…" Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat, "I loved you like no other. I loved you uniquely from Sasuke-kun. I gave you love that I never gave to Sasuke-kun… A love that was temporary, but full of joy. I was satisfied when I knew you loved me, too… because I know Sasuke-kun is too void of emotions, but ever since I had you embraced your own emotions, you loved me back… And I felt loved, for once in my life, Sai… I felt loved not by Sasuke-kun… but by… **you**." Sakura explained.

Sai turned his back on her and tried his best to stop his tears. Her words were stabbing him slowly but painfully.

_Swallow me then spit me out  
For hating you, I blame myself  
Seeing you, it kills me now  
No, I don't cry on the outside anymore_  
…_Anymore_

"Okay, so I admit." Sakura wiped away her tears, "I **used** you as a replacement for Sasuke-kun. But I couldn't help love you, Sai… because you have qualities that Sasuke-kun doesn't have, and yet there are qualities both of you have. But I never considered you as a replacement. I considered you as my past, my heart's capturer for once. But if you would want to put it that way… that I used you, then fine! Who am I anyway to control what you believe in?"

_Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes_

"Haven't I told you before?" Sakura tried to smile, but failed terribly, "You meant a lot to me! You gave me a new meaning in life! You made me happy even just for the short period of time we have been fated together, but even so, that short time made it seem like eternity."

Sai stood up and tried to calm down; he tried to keep himself void of emotions again. He wiped the remaining tears as he stared at the scenery outside his sealed windows.

"I know you hate me now because I loved you one second and gone in the next." She continued, "But that doesn't mean I hate you, Sai. I can't blame you if that's how you see me now. You may see me now as selfish, rude, calculating… I may have thought of nothing but only myself, if that's the way you see me, then fine, be that way, I won't stop your perspective towards me."

_Here I am, once again  
I'm torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend  
Just thought you were the one  
Broken up, deep inside  
But you won't get to see the tears I cry  
Behind these hazel eyes…_

Sakura stood up and approached Sai, she cupped a side of his face and he turned to face her. Then, she embraced him, burying her crying face on his toned chest, holding onto him like he was her long lost teddy bear.

"Sai, if you could never change the way you see me… Then so be it. But I just don't like the hatred, the fury you feel towards me. I want all of those to be gone… because I see you as someone important… I see you as someone who changed a part of me…" Sakura said in between muffled sobs, "But for all the things I've done wrong… Sai, I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

After a moment of regaining his composure, he sighed and he hugged her back and placed one hand on the back of her head, allowing her head to rest on him, crying while she was safe in his arms.

Sakura took that as his acceptance of her apology and she just closed her eyes and cried some more.

"I'm sorry, too." Sai sincerely told her as he planted a kiss on her head.

He felt her shaking her head and she said, smiling, "You don't need to be."

There was an ethereal moment of silence fell on them, while being in each other's arms.

"I'll try my best to get you out of this stupid house arrest, I promise." Sakura told him, "And if I did, make sure you stay out of trouble."

He smiled, "I'm a troublemaker, and I can't promise you that."

"Well that's fine." Sakura snickered.

"But I'll try my best to stay out of trouble. Let's just hope that trouble won't find me." Sai concluded.

And just like that, they're now in good terms again.

… Finally, they became friends, just like what Sakura wanted.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Now that Sakura had established a strong friendship with Sai, she is now trusted by him to free all those who risked all odds to save her life. Sai had entrusted to Sakura the scroll given to him by Wasudo, and Sakura presents this to the Hokage, which leads Tsunade to make a decision against her will, but a decision which will save Jiraiya, Neji, Tenten and Sai.**

**Coming up next, Chapter 68: _Freedom_**

"**_I, Yamato, Captain of the 7th Elite Anbu Squad, hereby requests the closure of the new recruits for my squad."_  
-Yamato**

**_A/N:_ So… Sai and Sakura become friends now, but is it possible for them to re-establish a deeper relationship? Well, that's for you to find out in later chapters. Well anyway… I hope you liked this chapter.**

**Reviews please and thank you!**

**_THE RUDELY BLUNT AUTHOR CELEBRATES AUGUST 18, 2006!_ Yes, that's why for the early update (and SaiSaku chapter too! One of my very best fave pairs! WEEE!) Hehehe, I turn 15 years old today. AND MY DAY WAS FUN! I finally get to see once more my mentor! Ah, after two years that I have not seen him, I have finally seen him today, ON MY BIRTHDAY! And I'm very much happy and grateful to my mentor because I won't be the Managing Editor of the school paper if it wasn't for his teachings. He taught me how to write in terms of journalism, and he enhanced my freelance writing skills. He also gave me enough background to carry me through radio broadcasting. Certainly, August 18, 2006 – the day when I turned 15, is one of the most fun (and memorable) days in my entire life!**

**Don't worry fellas, I'm still the rudely blunt girl you all have known throughout the fic. NYAHAHAHAHA! I just love being evil!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	68. Freedom

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

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**THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO GREETED ME ON MY BIRTHDAY!**  
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**(Chapter 68 – Freedom)**

Sakura was feeling nervous today. Last night, she told Naruto to call up a mouthful of friends for they will have a party at her place. Who were there? Let's see:

Of course, Uzumaki Naruto, the pregnant Uzumaki-Hyuga Hinata, Hatake Kakashi, Nara Shikamaru, Nara-Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, Sarutobi Asuma, Inuzuka Kiba with his now, giant dog, Akamaru, Aburame Shino, Yuuhi Kurenai, Tsunade, Shizune with the Godaime's pet pig – Tonton, Rock Lee and Yamato also made it there.

It was a pity that some were not there: Jiraiya, Hyuga Neji, Hyuga Tenten and Sai. It would be fun if Naruto could also invite the Sand Siblings but that was way too impossible. But she never pitied the absence of Uchiha Sasuke. She was going to close the doors from him starting from there.

Of course, many wondered why she was holding a party. She just said it was just to celebrate the fact that she moved in to her new apartment and she gets to live alone **finally**.

But before that, she finally had a good talk with Sai, after her emotional apology. And she finally had a clue how to get him and the others out of the administrative custody. The very last resort – Sai gave the scroll given to him by Wasudo to Sakura.

Now, she was standing before her mentor as she presented the scroll she claimed that she recently acquired from Sunagakure since she have heard of her cure's origin.

"Summon Yamato in my office." Tsunade told Sakura, "Also call a representative from the Judicial Council. Tell them it's the case of the three ninjas they hold."

Sakura bowed and in a flash she was gone.

A few minutes later…

"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" Yamato bowed as he kneeled on one knee, in respect and kept his position, while he removed his mask and rested it on the floor.

"It's about Sai." Tsunade sternly looked at him.

Yamato thought that this might be the moment wherein he has to be a good liar that he is and save his best bud from dying under the administration.

"Remove all seals of his house. Have him here in my office at the instant you removed the seals of his house." Tsunade closed her eyes, afraid that she was convinced by the scroll to do this decision.

Yamato smiled and sighed, "Of course, Tsunade-sama."

He took his mask and wore it, then bowed to the Hokage one last time and went to do the duty assigned to him.

Then a knock on the door was heard.

"I am the same representative of the Judicial Council who took custody of Jiraiya and the Hyuga couple." The feminine voice was heard outside her office.

"Very well, come in." Tsunade answered.

It was the same woman who interrupted Tsunade's interrogation in Yamato's office. Now, she was wearing a black peasant blouse, with a knee-length pleated denim skirt, and a pair of devil red stilettos, the same style of those white pairs she wore the last time the Hokage saw her.

The woman bowed and said, "We have been conducting interrogations with the 3 ninjas. They have been saying the same things and we have intelligence reports that accompany their answers to our questions. In that case-"

"They're not guilty." Tsunade interrupted, "Release the three of them. Give their licenses back and tell them that I bless them with my sincerest of apologies."

The woman was overwhelmed at the rare defeated mood of the Hokage, "Well yes, of course. Immediately."

Tsunade tossed to her the scroll from Sunagakure and the woman caught it. She smirked and read out aloud, "To my dearest friend, Tsunade, the Godaime Hokage: I would like to tell you that what these 4 ninjas told me, who are all from your village, concerns me the most. Do you not care for your student? Do you ignore the fact that I'm still probably the best potions specialist and you are only second to my feat? Of course, your medical abilities surpass mine, but in terms of potions, I still **am** the best, even in my dearly oldest age. I bring about this letter, to recommend these ninjas to be promoted at least to a higher level, or even be honored for their acknowledgement to my abilities. If they were deeply concerned about your student's situation, then how about you? So, if you're reading this now, I firmly suggest that if these four ninjas from Konohagakure, who dared hurt your own little coastline guardians and who dared to speak to me, be released from whatever custody, from whatever shackles that bound them to be honorable ninjas. Remember, the daimyo of my country and the daimyo of your country are good friends. And I sure am positive that this news had reached both daimyos. If you sentence these ninjas into a complicated ordeal, rest assured that I might get involved in this, causing chaos. You do know how much of a threat I make, isn't that right, Your Greatness? From: Wasudo, Head Elder/Advisor of Sunagakure and the Kazekage."

Tsunade might have been slightly embarrassed by that statement and she just submitted to doing it. She didn't want troubles anyway.

"See? Even the Sand is on the Judicial Council's side." The woman replied mockingly as she gently placed the scroll on the Godaime's desk.

The arrogant woman bowed and smirked, "Good day, Tsunade-sama. Oh, and would you like them summoned here?"

"Just tell them what I told you to tell them. They will be recognized for their feats perhaps tomorrow. Wait for further announcements." Tsunade rubbed her aching temples.

"As you wish, Hokage-sama." The woman smiled once more, before walking out of the office.

Then, Yamato brought in Sai after the woman left.

The two bowed to the Hokage and Tsunade sighed, "You have been making a lot of fuss lately, Sai."

Sai could only smile, like he always does, "Trouble finds me, Tsunade-sama."

"Yes, and now I'm going to get you out of trouble." Tsunade replies, "Sai, I'm giving you back your jounin license and your Anbu license. Not only that, I promote you to the position of Elite Anbu in recognition of what you've done. You'll be working under Yamato's squad starting tomorrow."

Sai's smile turned into a grin and thanked her, "Gratefully, Hokage-sama."

"You have been adding a lot of members to my squad lately, Tsunade-sama." Yamato told the Hokage, "I'm afraid I might not be able to control such a huge squad. So I'm taking Sai as the last addition to the squad. I, Yamato, Captain of the 7th Elite Anbu Squad, hereby requests the closure of the new recruits for my squad. Like I said, I'll take Sai, but afterwards, no more."

"Consider it granted, Yamato." Tsunade turned to the humble squad captain before her.

"Dismissed." Tsunade concluded, not wanting to take any more trouble than there is ahead for her in one day.

The two bowed and exited her office with wide smiles on their faces.

"I didn't even have to break a sweat saving your butt, Sai." Yamato told him.

"If I didn't give Sakura the scroll, then I'll be darned." Sai pointed out, "The others too, will be darned. I'll pity most the couple, they look good together. They shouldn't have a baby behind bars."

"What the hell are you saying, Sai?" Yamato sweatdropped, "And Sakura? You talked to Sakura?"

"Yup. We're friends now… or whatever that's supposed to mean." Sai told him.

"Eh? You two are in good terms again?" Yamato asked.

"Not the good terms we used to have." Sai concluded, "Good terms… meaning we're satisfied just being allies."

"Eh? If I know, you'll just make a move on her afterwards." Yamato teased.

A vein popped out of Sai's temples and he countered, "You know Yamato, maybe handling a big squad makes you a bit insane."

"Hmm, maybe." Yamato scratched his head.

_TBC…_  
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**Tsunade takes Sakura for a little shopping spree in the Konoha Alleyway. In another part of the village, Hyuga Tenten and Nara Ino talk to each other via phone call and Ino reveals something to her.**

**Find out what it is in: _Ink Drop in History_**

"_**So does Sakura know anything about that matter?"**_  
**-Hyuga Tenten**

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**_A/N:_ Uh-oh… What happens when Sai and Sasuke are in one squad, and worse, under Yamato's control? Well… nothing much… hehe, well, just find out, don't worry, it will be soon!**

**Don't forget to review!**

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** I'm currently experiencing a minor writer's block for Homebound. Chapter 77 is yet unfinished. Man, I just wish it would go away…**

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** The song _Evolution_ by Hamazaki Ayumi is now available. This song will be used in a very exciting chapter 71. So if you want a copy, just tell me in your reviews or PM me.**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	69. Ink Drop in History

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

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**_UPDATES!_ Ah, my writer's block is dissipating slowly! Hoorah! Anyway, I'm in the middle of writing Chapter 78.**

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**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ MAN, SOME PEOPLE ARE STUBBORN. THIS IS SASUSAKU, YOU JUST HAVE TO BE PATIENT. Oh and by the way, Sasuke will be reappearing soon… that would have to be in Chapter 71, hoo-hah! And some butt-kickin' action soon!**

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**THIS IS SOOOO AMAZING! REVIEWS ARE NEARING A THOUSAND! NOW THAT IS CRAAAAAAZY! WHOOOOO!**

**I LOVE YOU FELLAS!  
I LOVE YOU FELLAS!  
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**LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUU FELLAAAAAAS!**

**Writing this fic has been so enjoyable! I've never felt so much inspiration coming from readers, so I just want to thank you guys for keeping me going. YOU FELLAS ARE MY VERY _INSPIRATION_ FOR WRITING HOMEBOUND!**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!**

**Please continue supporting Homebound! I'm still gonna be here weaving the tale to you fellas. I LOVE Y'ALL!**

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**This chapter may be a bit of crap, but hey, details count, right?**

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**(Chapter 69 – Ink Drop in History)**

After all the people that Tsunade needed to summon, Sakura made her presence in her mentor's office. She did say that preparations for her reign as Hokage will start today.

Tsunade smiled sweetly at her apprentice, soon-to-be successor.

Sakura sweatdropped then smiled back at Tsunade.

Tsunade stood up and told Sakura, "Follow me."

She bowed as the well-respected Hokage went out of the office, with Sakura tailing her. She was wondering why Tsunade was getting out of the Hokage Tower and in the… Konoha Alleyway?

The Konoha Alleyway is home to the luxurious shops in town. The brand names of fancy clothing lines, the exquisite jewelry shops, the finest ninja weaponries… everything here in the alleyway are expensive, but that's okay, because even if you're just taking a stroll here, it's worthwhile. Yes, high lifestyle is the motto of every shop in this place.

Tsunade made her way inside a fancy clothing line's store, which offers silk kimonos, beautiful formal wears, and plush women's footwear.

The women, who were the attendants of the store, were all wearing white kimonos, their hair tucked in a messy bun on top of their heads held up by two hair chopsticks. These women bowed at the presence of the Hokage and greeted, "Welcome, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage nodded, acknowledging their respect and asked, "You received my call, right?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." A woman replied and opened a door just beside the store's counter, then; she pulled out a wheeled white cabinet. She opened the doors of the cabinet and presented to the Godaime, "These are our shop's compliment for full wear: silk kimono-style blouses, comfortable khaki pants, and a set of heeled sandals."

Then, the woman went to the counter and pulled out a white box, opening it slowly and unveiling the box's contents: a pair of carnation pink hair chopsticks, adorned with two large spherical green beads on top.

"Would you want to see some of our compliment jewelry that would well accompany these?" the woman asked.

"No." Tsunade smiled, "All these are fine."

Sakura was wondering, _"Is Tsunade-sama shopping? OH NO, SHE'S NOT GOING TO LET ME CARRY HER LUGGAGES!"_

"Please help my student in wearing these." Tsunade told the two attendants.

These two attendants, held Sakura's arms and said, "This way, please, Ma'am."

Then, they escorted her to the dressing room, but she was struggling in their grasps, but she was too confused with what was going on to say something.

The woman, who presented the deluxe set of clothing, motioned to the wheeled cabinet and brought it near the dressing room.

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura screamed, "What the hell is this all about!"

"Oh well, Sakura." Tsunade sat down on the white sofa and grinned, "Consider it another day in the office."

"WHAT!" Sakura shouted back as she got out of the dressing room, her blouse was off and she was grasping it close to her torso, covering herself.

"I did say preparations will start now, right?" Tsunade sighed.

"ARRGH!" Sakura tried to fight the arms of the attendants trying to pull her back into the dressing room.

"Ma'am, please this will just take a while." An attendant told Sakura as she pulled her.

"Don't worry, this won't hurt **a bit**." The other attendant had a deadly glare in her eyes which made Sakura scared and finally give in, as they sabotaged her… err… dressed her up.

Meanwhile…

Neji got out of the bathroom, refreshed. He was wiping his long hair dry and he caught sight of his wife on the phone with someone. She took a bath before he did. Her long, long, wavy, wet hair made Neji stop and stare.

"So Sakura was cured?" Tenten asked the person she was talking to on the other line.

"Yup, but I was wondering then who gave the cure to her after you guys took the trouble to deliver the cure from Sunagakure to here." Ino, who was on the other line, said, "And I made a little investigation, myself."

"And?"

"One nurse from the hospital told me that someone was given a permission note to give Sakura a tranquilizer medication." Ino replied, "But when the nurse checked Sakura the night she was cured, she told that person that they needed the tranquilizer no more for she was asleep."

"Ahuh." Tenten reacted, "So… who's the person who gave the cure?"

Ino was silenced a bit and said in a hush-hush tone, "Uchiha Sasuke."

"What!" Tenten's eyes narrowed, "B-But he's a criminal!"

"Yamato told us last night, in Sakura's party that… That Sasuke had been released from correction custody and the Hokage promoted him to elite Anbu, under the command of Yamato in his squad."

"So does Sakura know anything about that matter?" Tenten questioned.

"I… I really don't know, Tenten." Ino answered in a worried tone, "If she does, there's nothing we can do about it anymore. But if she doesn't… then it would be better off that she doesn't know."

Back at the Konoha Alleyway…

Tsunade was sipping tea from her teacup, offered to her by another attendant just a little while ago.

An attendant got out of the dressing room and bowed to her, "Hokage-sama, please tell us what do you think."

Sakura got out of the dressing room with a slight tinge of red on her cheeks, as she was being escorted by the two attendants.

The two attendants left her, walking backwards as they bowed.

Tsunade almost lost her grip on the teacup but it was a good thing she was conscious of what she was doing. She put down her teacup on the coffee table in front of her and was awed at the sight in front of her.

Sakura was wearing a dark red silk kimono-style blouse, with a gold embroidered dragon snaked all over the blouse, silver threads shimmered at the hems of the whole blouse, a black silk sash was tied on her waist to keep the clothing intact on her frame, and the neckline showing a little bit of her cleavage, but was covered with a fishnet shirt from the inside.

She was wearing a pair of stained black denim khaki pants, the hems adorned with little red ribbons.

She was wearing two-inched heeled white sandals, pretty much similar to what Tsunade was wearing.

Her long pink locks are tucked up in a huge bun on her head, held up by a red cloth hairnet and finally, the two hair chopsticks featured earlier adorning the style.

Overall, she looked pretty much of a goddess to be a Hokage. She was still blushing a tinge of red, not knowing how she looks like.

An attendant brought her in front of a full-length mirror and her jaw dropped at her reflection.

"I-Is that me?" Sakura pointed at her reflection as she stared at herself from head to toe, "I look… I look…"

"Marvelous!" Tsunade applauded as she stood up.

The attendants bowed and Tsunade continued, "Please deliver 10 sets of those she's wearing to her apartment. I have left you an address when I phoned you, right?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." An attendant checked the clipboard near the phone on the counter, and began writing something, "10 sets, Hokage-sama?"

"Yes." Tsunade answered as she reached for her checkbook and pen from her pockets.

"What? Tsunade-sama, you're paying for these?" Sakura asked as Tsunade negotiated with an attendant about the price.

"Yes." Tsunade smiled as she wrote the amount of money and placed her signature on the check and pulled it off from her checkbook.

Tsunade gave the check to the attendant as she pocketed her checkbook and pen, grinning at Sakura, "Consider it my gift, Sakura. From now on, I want you to wear those."

Sakura could just nod.

"By the way, we'll be having discussions tomorrow with the elders." Tsunade added, "We will be talking about your big debut the day after tomorrow."

"My… big debut…?" Sakura repeated.

"Yes, your introduction to Konoha." Tsunade smiled.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sakura couldn't sleep at the night before her big debut. She decides that a walk around town should tire her out and make her sleepy. No matter how the velvet night sky tried to lull her to sleep, it just made her ponder more on things and places around Konoha that surely made an impact in her life. Along the way, Yamato catches her sitting on a bench in the park.**

**Discover Sakura's ponderings of Konoha: _A Radiant Flower, Not a Blossoming Bud_**

"_**Do you know the Rokudaime, Sakura?"**_  
**-Yamato**

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**_A/N:_ The next chapter will feature a lot of Sakura's nostalgia for Konoha. She will realize that that will be the last night she will be Haruno Sakura, the norm. Hehe, if you don't know what I'm talking about, just see the next chapter!**

**Oh well, reviews are my energy bars. XD**

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**The song _Evolution_ is still available!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	70. A Radiant Flower, Not a Blossoming Bud

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

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**_UPDATES!_ I'm finishing up Chapter 78 and I'm gonna start writing Chapter 79 soon. Also, I just finished editing Chapters 75, 76 and 77. WEE! My writer's block for Homebound has gone away!**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"By the way, we'll be having discussions tomorrow with the elders." Tsunade added, "We will be talking about your big debut the day after tomorrow."

"My… big debut…?" Sakura repeated.

"Yes, your introduction to Konoha." Tsunade smiled.

**(Chapter 70 – A Radiant Flower, Not a Blossoming Bud)**

Sakura couldn't sleep. She looked at her alarm clock on her bedside table and sighed: 11:37 P.M.

"_Tomorrow…"_ Sakura thought as she stared at the ceiling, _"I'll be introduced to Konoha… as the future Rokudaime."_

Tears streamed down her face, _"Sorry, Naruto… I didn't want to take this dream away from you. But if this is what's best for Konoha, then I have to do it. I'll fulfill the path prepared for me by Tsunade-sama… I'm a ninja, so I have to grant an obligation for the betterment of Konoha. Also… this is one way to forget about that Sasuke."_

She stared at her hands and sighed, "Am I still weak?"

She closed her eyes and tried to sleep for a big day awaits her at sunrise the next day. Her eyes snapped open and stared at her alarm clock again: 11:39 P.M.

"Damn it." Sakura cursed under her breath as she stood up and went to her cabinet. She took out a red shirt, a white miniskirt and a pair of lavender flip-flops, and then she went to the bathroom to dress up.

After a while, she went out on the streets, taking a stroll.

She was walking the streets of Konoha. The streets were empty, the citizens and ninjas alike are in the safe of their homes, sleeping. As she was walking, she glanced at the sky and saw that there was a full moon, accompanied by the stars, scattered randomly throughout the velvet night sky.

The moonlight hit her face; the night breeze caressed her face and ran through her long pink locks floating a bit with the wind. Then, her feet froze on the cold pavement as she looked at the building in front of her: the Ninja Academy.

Yes, it was this academy that taught her the ways of a ninja. It was this academy that made her intellectually undisputed but made her physically disregarded. Her strengths were ignored, to the eyes of many, she was a weakling. She can still remember those childhood days, those bullies telling her she had an incredibly large forehead and she was ugly.

Sakura touched her forehead and smiled, it wasn't so large anymore. Puberty sure had its ways on making her beautiful… goddess-like in fact. She remembers Ino…

Ino was her role model back then, she would fight and scare Sakura's bullies away and comfort her. Ino made Sakura beautiful in her early days; she made her confident about herself. Ino had taught her many things… Sakura may be the most intelligent of her prime but she believed that Ino was smarter than her at that time.

Her smile faded into a frown and she bit her lips as she remembered the very reason why she and Ino became enemies, adversaries in fact – Uchiha Sasuke. They both liked the lad, but now that she thinks about it, why did they become rivals for a silly crush anyway? For once it made her feel stupid… awfully stupid.

"_Sasuke was a jerk."_ Sakura's eyebrows furrowed as she stared at her feet, _"And I feel like a damn idiot for loving him."_

She sighed as she stared at the academy. Yes, this was the foundation, the molder of who she was now. Tsunade was the refiner, and now she has become a perfect, an absolutely perfect kunoichi. She was strong enough; she indeed, may have surpassed her mentor, the great Godaime Hokage, Tsunade, as Hatake Kakashi have predicted.

She smiled as she remembered Ino's words to her when she was still a kid: _"Sakura, you're a blossoming bud."_

And then Ino's words in their very first Chuunin Exams: _"Sakura, you're now a flower."_

Sakura shook her head, _"No, Ino… I'm not just a flower… I'm a **radiant** flower."_

And she continued walking around Konoha. She then stopped at the bridge, the place where Team 7 usually meets in her genin days.

She leaned on the railings and watched the water flow below it. She can see her reflection on the waters, for the waters became silver at the touch of the moonlight.

This saddened her much. She didn't know why but… taking a stroll in her hometown, the village where she was born, the place where she grew up… the place she will soon reign over… it made her really sad. The memories were haunting her madly.

A leaf landed on the calm waters below her and she was shocked when her reflection had changed… the reflection of Uchiha Sasuke. But it wasn't long when another leaf landed on the waters, waking her up from her hallucination that she had seen Sasuke's reflection.

Sakura straightened up and started walking again. She found a bench under a cherry blossom tree in the park. She sat on it and stared at her shadow, just at her feet on the grass below her.

She cried again, realizing why she was saddened by everything that surrounded her… This was the last day she was going to be normal. Tomorrow, she will be extraordinary, the most powerful, the most dominant leader in the world, she will walk the ways of a Hokage.

"Why are you here, this late at night?" a voice asked.

She wiped away her tears and looked to see who it was.

"Hey, are you all right?" the owner of the voice said.

Sakura smiled, "Oh, Yamato-taichou, what are you doing here?"

Yamato was wearing an Anbu coat, but the hood was down, although its silver hem, symbolizing that he is an Elite Anbu was evident, and he had his mask was off, too.

Yamato sat beside her and said, "Overtime at the headquarters. I was on my way home, and I spotted you here."

Sakura continued to stare at her shadow with sad eyes.

"Five hours before sunrise, Sakura." Yamato looked at his Konoha pendant clock, which he kept in the pockets beneath his coat, "You should get some sleep."

"I couldn't get some sleep, so I planned on walking around." She replied.

"Yeah, but it's illegal for civilians and ninjas alike to be in the streets at these hours." He pointed out, "Only Anbus are allowed."

Sakura sighed and looked at the starry sky, as she reclined on the bench.

"Hokage-sama will reward Jiraiya, Hyuga Neji and Hyuga Tenten tomorrow." Yamato stared at the skies too, "That's why we had overtime in the headquarters. She wanted my squad to be beside the Hokage Tower balcony, representing the whole Anbu Headquarters. The other Anbus will be scattered all over Konoha as the people will be gathered at the town square."

Sakura knows about that. Before her day ended, she had discussions with Tsunade and the elders about her big debut.

"Tsunade added that tomorrow, the Anbus should safeguard Konoha 100 percent." Yamato looked at Sakura, "She will announce and introduce the upcoming Rokudaime. And I felt awfully bad for Naruto… I can see him with his wife so often, so it's impossible for him to meet Tsunade at a serious matter like this. Poor Naruto, his dreams are crushed."

Sakura's eyes widened a bit and she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Do you know the Rokudaime, Sakura?" he asked, "I mean, being the Hokage's apprentice, you should know, right?"

Sakura closed her eyes as she sighed. She snapped open her eyes and stood up, "I'm going home, Yamato-taichou, I'm sleepy now."

"Sakura, you haven't answered my question yet." Yamato's words made Sakura's footsteps halt.

"Don't be too curious about it." Sakura looked over at her shoulders to see Yamato and she smiled, "I'm sure you know the upcoming Rokudaime personally."

And with that, she walked home. After all, she needed a much needed rest to show to the world, to her beloved Konoha, that she is the radiant flower destined to be the successor to the supremacy. The strongest ninja of all ninjas: the Hokage.

_TBC…_  
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**Sakura confronts the prejudices people told her in the past at the very moment Tsunade had dreamed of for her most beloved apprentice. She is now introduced as the heir to the seat of the Godaime. People who have known and have been close to Sakura are shocked by this revelation – including Naruto. Tsunade tells Sakura that she should pick her own set of advisors and suggested that it would be best if she would put her teammates as the advisors. And thinking that this was her perfect chance to close all doors to Sasuke, she decides that Sai is her last best choice, and leaves Sasuke shocked.**

**Unfold the full story on: _Evolution_**

"_**S-S-Sa… S-Sa-Sakura-ch-chan… i-is… R-Rokudaime?"**_  
**-Uzumaki Naruto**

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**_A/N:_ Looks like Naruto was shocked upon knowing who was the Rokudaime! Well anyway, hehehe… Sakura is on REVENGE! XD Don't worry, this is one of the best parts of the fic, another turning point!**

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**The next chapter will feature the song _Evolution_ by Hamazaki Ayumi. So if you want a copy, just PM me or notify me via your review.**

**Reviews really make me feel inspired, so don't feel shy to give me one!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	71. Evolution

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

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**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ It would be best if you read this chapter with the song _Evolution_ by Hamazaki Ayumi.**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Do you know the Rokudaime, Sakura?" he asked, "I mean, being the Hokage's apprentice, you should know, right?"

Sakura closed her eyes as she sighed. She snapped open her eyes and stood up, "I'm going home, Yamato, I'm sleepy now."

"Sakura, you haven't answered my question yet." Yamato's words made Sakura's footsteps halt.

"Don't be too curious about it." Sakura looked over at her shoulders to see Yamato and she smiled, "I'm sure you know the upcoming Rokudaime personally."

And with that, she walked home. After all, she needed a much needed rest to show to the world, to her beloved Konoha, that she is the radiant flower destined to be the successor to the supremacy. The strongest ninja of all ninjas: the Hokage.

* * *

**(Chapter 71 – Evolution)**

Sakura was wearing her new outfit today, her hair, too, was fixed to what Tsunade wanted it to look like – tucked in a bun covered with red cloth hairnet, adorned with the two hair chopsticks she bought for her. And she was still nervous about what's about to happen. She was seated on a chair in Tsunade's office, thinking about what was going to take place today.

Tsunade told her that she should just stay put and relax in the office a bit. Sakura took the advice. And well, the relax part… it wasn't that easy. Her heart must be beating maybe twice, thrice, four times faster than it usually should, skipping one, two or even three beats. She couldn't breathe properly and she was sweating cold, her hands were freezing cold and so were her feet. She was really nervous.

She closed her eyes and let out a long, loud sigh. And that made at least her system feel a bit of relief. She understood the fact that she was nervous… why was she nervous?

For some reason, she thinks that her friends will ask her why she agreed to be the next Hokage, telling her it's pretty stupid to follow Tsunade's path which for her, was not that true, she thinks she betrayed Naruto for 'stealing' his dream and finally, she thinks the people will despise her, thinking that she is not strong enough.

A knock on the door was heard. Sakura straightened up and answered, "Yes?"

"Sakura, it's time." It was Shizune.

Sakura stood up and nodded, "Yes, I'll be there in a while."

"Okay then, don't be late." With that, Shizune closed the door.

"_Everything's going to be fine, Sakura."_ She sighed as she walked out of the office, _"Everything… **Everything** will be **absolutely** fine."_

* * *

_Sou da ne bokura atarashii jidai o  
mukaeta mitai de kisekiteki ka mo ne  
nido to wa chotto ajiwaenai yo ne  
mou ichido omoidashite_

_(It's true, isn't it? It seems as though)  
(We're headed for a new century; it's miraculous)  
(This is something you can only taste once)  
(Let's remember one more time)_

* * *

"_You're annoying…"_ Sasuke's voice hissed in her mind. 

"_Well then, watch me now, Sasuke."_ She walked with her chin up.

"_You spend more time making yourself look pretty than focus on being stronger!"_ the female Sound genin's words echoed through her ears, the same Sound genin who pulled her by the hair.

"_Then watch me shine."_ Sakura climbed the stairs.

* * *

_Kono hoshi ni umaretsuita hi  
kitto nan da ka ureshikute  
kitto nan da ka setsunakute  
bokura wa naite ita'n da  
whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah_

_(On the day we arrived on this Earth)  
(We were somehow happy,)  
(And somehow it hurt)  
(We were crying)  
(Whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah)_

* * *

"_I won't back down to you, Sakura!"_ Ino's statement ran through her mind 

"_And I won't back down either, I never will."_ Sakura made her way to the hallways that leads to the balcony.

"_You're pretty much of a nuisance, don't you think so? You let your teammates down always."_ Kabuto's mocking haunted her.

"_Then let me show you who I am now."_ Sakura thought as she made a turn on the corner of a hallway.

"Are you ready, **Rokudaime-sama**?" Shizune bowed as she smiled at Sakura.

"Shizune-san, I'm not yet Rokudaime unless I'm inaugurated formally." Sakura replied, "I'm just going to be introduced anyway."

* * *

_Genjitsu wa uragiru mono de handansae  
ayamaru kara ne soko ni aru kachi wa  
sono me de chanto mikiwamete ite ne  
jibun no monosashi de_

_(Reality is a traitor; it's easy)  
(to misjudge things so with your own two eyes)  
(please decide the worth of this place)  
(Do it with your own standards)_

* * *

Tsunade pinned the Service Award gold medals to Jiraiya, Neji and Tenten, who were bowing in front of her, their backs facing the watchful crowds of Konoha gathered below. 

The people applauded as these three turned around and faced the crowd. The three bowed simultaneously to the crowd.

Beside them was the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade. All of them were in their Anbu combat gears and they were crouched down. The brigade was in a pentagon formation. Yamato was in front, being the tip of the pentagon, behind him were… coincidentally, Sai and Sasuke crouched side by side, just behind Yamato.

And Sasuke was aware that the Anbu beside him was the same person he encountered in the hospital when Sakura was still cursed. Sai also knew about Sasuke, being in the squad and that he is the one beside him.

* * *

_Konna toki ni umaretsuita yo  
da kedo nan to ka susundet'te  
da kara nan to ka koko ni tatte  
bokura wa kyou o okutte'ru  
whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah_

_(We've arrived in these times)  
(But somehow things move on)  
(So somehow we're standing here)  
(And we're living through today)  
(Whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah)_

* * *

"And today, I am glad to announce to everyone that I have chosen my successor, the Rokudaime Hokage!" Tsunade told the crowds with pride. 

The crowds below cheered.

Naruto was seated on the roof of the Yamanaka Flower Shop, with his pregnant wife, Hinata. On the roof were Shikamaru and his wife, Ino, Kakashi pausing from reading his orange book to glance at the Hokage and listen to who was her successor, Choji munching on his favorite potato chips, Kiba and Shino were also there, Asuma and Kurenai, too.

"Neh, where is Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked Hinata.

"W-Well… I phoned her last night… A-And she told m-me that she was going to be b-busy today." Hinata replied.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Shikamaru said.

"Why is that?" Ino asked.

"I just know it." Shikamaru shrugged.

* * *

_Konna hoshi ni umaretsuita yo  
nan da ka totemo ureshikute  
nan da ka totemo setsunakute  
ookina koe de nakinagara  
whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah_

_(We've arrived on this kind of world)  
(Somehow I'm very happy)  
(Somehow it hurts a lot)  
(While crying at the top of my lungs)  
(Whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah)_

* * *

"I am proud to introduce to you, Konoha… my chosen one!" Tsunade moved aside and looked at the open door, which leads to the balcony. 

Konoha fell silent as they waited for their future Hokage.

Then, sunlight finally hit the figure of the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage as she halted to be beside Tsunade.

Sakura placed a hand on her hips and smiled at Konoha.

"Konoha, this is your soon Rokudaime Hokage," Tsunade exclaimed, "HARUNO SAKURA!"

The crowds below went wild, screaming, applauding madly for the successor.

Those on the rooftop of the Yamanaka Flower Shop had their eyes widened; Kakashi even dropped his beloved book on the floor at the sound of his student's name.

Yamato smiled beneath his mask and shook his head a bit, _"So that's why she said I know the upcoming Rokudaime personally… because it was her."_

Sai and Sasuke couldn't believe it… most especially Sasuke. His eyes narrowed at the sound of her name and a sweat trickled down from his forehead to his chin.

* * *

_Konna toki ni umaretsuita yo  
da kedo kimi ni deatta yo_

_konna toki ni umaretsuita yo  
da kedo kimi ni deatta yo_

_(I've arrived in these times)  
(But I met you)_

_I've arrived in these times  
But I met you_

* * *

"S-S-Sa… S-Sa-Sakura-ch-chan… i-is…" Naruto pointed his index finger at Sakura, "R-Rokudaime?" 

"I knew it." Shikamaru sighed, "She **is** the apprentice, so there was a high possibility she is heir to the title."

"She has the potential anyway." Kakashi bent down to grab his book.

"Sakura, in your reign, you will need a new set of advisors." Tsunade told Sakura, still, her voice was amplified throughout Konoha, "You have to choose three jounins to be your advisor, and one Anbu to safeguard you before you're inaugurated."

* * *

_Konna toki ni umaretsuita yo  
da kedo kimi ni deatta yo_

_konna toki ni umaretsuita yo  
da kedo kimi ni deatta yo_

_(I've arrived in these times)  
(But I met you)_

_I've arrived in these times  
But I met you_

* * *

"It would be better if you choose your teammates as advisors." Tsunade added as Sakura nodded, "As she calls out the name of her chosen advisors, please approach the tower and stand beside her." 

"Uzumaki Naruto." Sakura grinned as she said the name of the person who dreamed to be a Hokage.

His name was amplified throughout Konoha and immediately, Naruto leapt from roof to roof and approached Sakura.

"Neh, why didn't you tell us earlier!" Naruto asked as he stared angrily at Sakura, "Man, Sakura-chan, you crushed my dreams!"

Sakura whispered, "Ehe, Naruto, sorry about this, okay? I didn't mean to-"

"That's okay, I was just kidding, hehe! Maybe I'm just not really fit for the title after all. We win some, we lose some, neh?" Naruto gave her a thumb up and a big grin, as he motioned to stand behind her, "Do a great job, Sakura-chan!"

* * *

_Kono hoshi ni umaretsuita hi  
kitto nan da ka ureshikute  
kitto nan da ka setsunakute  
bokura wa naite ita'n da  
whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah_

_(On the day we arrived on this Earth)  
(We were somehow happy,)  
(And somehow it hurt.)  
(We were crying)  
(Whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah)_

* * *

"Hatake Kakashi." Sakura said. 

With a puff of smoke, Kakashi appeared behind Sakura, just beside Naruto.

Sakura smiled and Kakashi nodded, "Well done, Sakura. Congratulations!"

She smiled back at him.

"Your last one, Sakura." Tsunade told her in a low voice, "One more."

"And last but not least, Sai!" Sakura exclaimed.

"What the!" Sai exclaimed, "Hey Yamato, why the hell did that **ugly** person choose me?"

"Either way, Sai, we became part of Team 7, so that's no problem." Yamato answered.

"Hey, I don't want to be an advisor for an **ugly** Hokage!" Sai said loud enough for Sakura to hear.

* * *

_Konna toki ni umaretsuita yo  
da kedo nan to ka susundet'te  
da kara nan to ka koko ni tatte  
bokura wa kyou o okutte'ru  
whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah_

_(We've arrived in these times)  
(But somehow things move on)  
(So somehow we're standing here)  
(And we're living through today)  
(Whoa yeah whoa yeah whoa whoa yeah)_

* * *

A vein popped out of Sakura's temples and said through her gritted teeth, "SAI-GET-YOUR-LAZY-BUTT-HERE-OR-ELSE-YOU'LL-BE-**SERIOUSLY**-SORRY!" 

"I was just kidding." Sai finally stood up and went behind Sakura.

Sasuke's eyes widened, Sakura was the upcoming Hokage, and she chose the Anbu beside him to be her advisor. And that person beside him was Sai… and from what he heard from eavesdropping once, he was Sakura's ex-boyfriend.

"And one Anbu, Sakura." Tsunade reminded.

"The last one, who will assist me before my inauguration, Yamato!" Sakura called.

Sasuke did hope it was him but Sakura called their squad captain, Yamato.

Yamato stood up and told Sakura, "I would gladly take Sai's place if you want, Sakura."

"Why is that, Yamato?" Sakura asked.

"I'm busy nowadays and being captain of a huge brigade isn't an easy job. I'll be more than happy to take Sai's place and you can place him in the position I'm supposed to be in." Yamato replied, "After all, this is just an **advice**."

Sakura grinned at what he just said.

"There had been changes," Sakura announced, "my assistant will be Sai and the third advisor will be Yamato."

The crowds cheered her on.

"Sakura, are you ready?" Tsunade asked, "Did you prepare yourself?"

"Of course," Sakura answered, "nothing will go in my way."

"I have arranged a fight today." Tsunade announced, "Traditionally, times like this needs a little entertainment to prove to all of you that Haruno Sakura is **the strongest** ninja in all of Konoha."

Shizune stood beside Tsunade, holding a box open from the top.

Tsunade continued, "Shizune is holding a box containing all the different divisions of the **Elite** Anbu Brigades. I will draw one from this lottery box and this brigade will fight with Sakura in the Konoha Stadium **today**."

The crowd was awed and Tsunade finally drew a piece of folded paper from the box. She opened the piece of paper and announced, "Looks like Konoha's most elite safeguard units will be her opponents. The strongest brigade of all the Elite Anbu Brigades, the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade will be her opponent in the Konoha Stadium, **today**!"

Sakura grinned, "This is going to be fun, right Yamato?"

Yamato nodded, "It will be."

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sakura reads a bingo book containing information on the members of the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade. And when she enters the arena, she proves herself worthy to be blessed with the title of Rokudaime Hokage.**

**Catch the action wave on: _Stronger_**

"_**Damn, why'd it have to be dogs?"**_  
**-Haruno Sakura**

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**_A/N:_ It took me 3 hours to make Chapter 72, 2 hours to edit the whole thing, within one day! Yes, it was sooo tiring, because I have to read catalogs after catalogs of different jutsus and I have to listen to lots of fast music to get the choreography right. CHAPTER 72 IS A CHAPTER FULL OF BUTT-KICKING ACTION, HELL YEAH! Err… -eherm-**

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**Anyway, I choreographed most of the chapter to the tune of _Humanda Ka_ (by Sandwich), and Naruto Series' very own: _Naruto Main Theme, Strong and Strike, Raikiri, Turn Over, Raising Fighting Spirit Theme, Rock Lee's Theme, Need to be Strong, _and _I Said I'm Naruto_, all of these fantastic music instrumentals made by Toshiro Masuda-sama. You can get these music (except for Humanda Ka, which you can get from me) in any Naruto download site.**

**If you can't find any of these songs, well, _Humanda Ka_ should be fine, too. Please be noted that the next chapter is not a songfic, but any Naruto action tune should go fine with it. If you don't find any, then you can get a copy of _Humanda Ka _from me.**

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**Oh well, much have been said. Now, R-E-V-I-E-W!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	72. Stronger

**_AUTHOR'S HEARTFELT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: I would just like to give my million thanks to Blitz Magnus and Aikuchi Shikaku, who, helped me make this fanfiction possible. Thank you so much! I wish I could repay you for your kindness someday._**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

Tsunade continued, "Shizune is holding a box containing all the different divisions of the **Elite** Anbu Brigades. I will draw one from this lottery box and this brigade will fight with Sakura in the Konoha Stadium **today**."

The crowd was awed and Tsunade finally drew a piece of folded paper from the box. She opened the piece of paper and announced, "Looks like Konoha's most elite safeguard units will be her opponents. The strongest brigade of all the Elite Anbu Brigades, the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade will be her opponent in the Konoha Stadium, **today**!"

Sakura grinned, "This is going to be fun, right Yamato?"

Yamato nodded, "It will be."

**(Chapter 72 – Stronger)**

The Konoha Stadium was already packed full after the Godaime announced that there will be a fight there.

Sakura sighed from her room as she looked at the noisy crowds outside. This was the same venue as her first Chuunin Exams' final matches. This was the place where the Sandaime died… but anyway, she wasn't going to think of that today. Nope, most certainly not today!

Sakura wore her black gloves to protect her knuckles from any debris that would penetrate her fist from any object that she hits. She indeed, inherited a lot from Tsunade.

She turned to the bingo book (data book) beside her. There was a stamp beside the label of the bingo book: 'Anbu Headquarters Property'. Tsunade borrowed the book from the Anbu Headquarters. It was an updated version of…

"7th Elite Anbu Brigade: Information." Sakura muttered as she read the title of the book.

She opened the book and saw on the first page was Yamato. His position is the captain of the team. Listed below a short description of him was the number of his missions, his achievements and his awards.

She flipped through the pages, taking down mental notes of each member's masked appearances and their abilities.

She felt her heart stop beating when she saw, from the left page, the profile of Uchiha Sasuke and on the right page, the profile of Sai.

Sakura took in a deep breath and just flipped through the next page – she already knows what Sasuke is capable of, since she fought him once in Kirigakure, and she doesn't need to know what Sai can do since she's pretty close to him already.

All in all, she primarily studied all 14 members of the brigade.

"Ready?" Sakura breathed in, "Ready."

She breathed out and walked out of her room. She walked her way to the entrance of the stadium's arena. All 14 members of the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade encircled around the arena, leaving a space for Sakura to enter the place.

Sakura stood in the center of it all and closed her eyes, _"I'm gonna do this."_

Tsunade was seated on a throne-like chair on a balcony exclusively for the town leaders alone. She then stood up and declared, "Let's begin!"

And in an instant, 7 out of 14 members of the brigade were gone in a blink of an eye. Sakura opened her eyes and looked at the masks of the remaining members still standing in the arena. Sasuke and Sai were still there… but what about Yamato?

Then, she felt a firm grip snaking on her legs and on her waist from the ground – they were made out of wood. But Yamato was still out of sight!

Sakura grinned, "Yamato, isn't this too early?"

There was no reply.

Then 4 Anbus came lunging towards her from all directions, while she was held in place by the wood Yamato created.

She made a few handseals and green chakra flowed through her hands, and she just placed her hands on the fists, shoulders, forearms, thighs and shins of the Anbus in a swift motion, which was pretty much of a blur. All 4 Anbus groaned in pain as they hit the ground, immobile due to Sakura's Shosen Jutsu which cut the muscles on those parts of their bodies.

Sakura tried to wiggle out of Yamato's jutsu but she can't. She saw several dots on the ground and when she looked up she saw that random weapons were hurling down from above.

She clenched her right fist, jolting her right arm in the air, gathering strength and smashed her fist on the ground below, creating a huge crater below her, the wooden pillars that once held her, collapsing.

She dropped down and rolled away from the weapons, but then an Anbu stabbed her with his katana. But alas, she turned into a log and appeared behind the Anbu who attempted to stab her and used her Shosen jutsu to cut the muscles on his shoulders and shins, making him collapse on the ground, immobile.

She looked at the remaining Anbus in the arena… only Sasuke remained standing. Sai and the other 5 who stood beside him were all gone.

Then, a swarm of black hornets buzzed from above and headed towards Sakura. She made handseals and used the underground water, "Suiton: Suikodan no Jutsu!" **(Water Release: Water Shark Bullet Technique)**

Bullets of water from the underground blasted through the swarm of hornets, raining back down on the ground, appearing only as ink.

She heard barks – yes, barks of dogs.

"Damn, why'd it have to be dogs?" Sakura freaked out halfway. **(_A/N_: Apparently in the series, and hypothetically in the manga, it shows that Sakura is afraid of dogs.)**

Huge, black, wild dogs started running towards her and she made another set of handseals, "Suiton: Suiryudan!" **(Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet)**

A water dragon emerged from the underground and turned the black dogs to nothing but ink again.

Then, she felt strong arms from her back, holding her arms in place and this person hissed, "You were so merciless to my poor drawings."

"Eh? Then what about it, Sai?" Sakura smirked as she tried to wiggle out of his hold.

In a blink of an eye, three Anbus were about to stab her with their katanas but Sakura opened her mouth and sprayed violet poisoned mist on their faces, which made them gasp for fresh air, but the poisoned mist have invaded their respiratory tracts, making it almost impossible to give them a suffice amount of oxygen to breathe. **(_A/N_: in the series, it was Shizune who performed this technique called "Dokugiri", which means "Poisoned Mist".)**

Sakura was still trying to wiggle out of Sai's hold but just stopped. She elevated her arms a little, although painful, she was able to reach the sides of his head, and with great strength, she threw him onto a nearby wall, making cracks and puffs of dust as he collided with it.

She spit out the excess poisoned mist from her mouth and wiped her face with her left sleeve. The official tally: Sakura, still up, Anbus – 9 down (including Sai), 1 still standing (Sasuke) and 4 out of sight (including Yamato).

She was catching her breath as there was a moment of silence, as no one seemed to be attacking her. Then she felt somebody's chakra on her right but when she looked, it was only a tree.

She approached the area and performed the handseals, "Genjutsu Kai." **(Genjutsu Cancel)**

The genjutsu didn't come off – it wasn't a genjutsu. She smirked and just threw poisoned senbons at the tree and immediately, the 'tree' became an Anbu who have the poisoned senbons on his vest, so it didn't penetrate him.

Sakura took note of his falcon mask. She became alerted by this, _"This is a genjutsu and ninjutsu expert."_

The Anbu made handseals and muttered, "Kanashibari no Jutsu." **(Temporary Paralysis Technique)**

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she cannot move her body. This was a normal technique taught to all Anbus, but someone like her would also know the technique, but she would choose least to use it.

But now it caught her.

"_I wish I just swallowed more poisoned mist a while ago so that I could spray some on this guy! But too much, then it would destroy my system."_ Sakura thought, _"Damn, I can't move my body!"_

Then, she remembered something. As the Anbu was approaching her, she tried to wiggle her right wrist, even if it was paralyzed, it moved a bit. She was trying to prick herself with a senbon hidden in her gloves.

When she felt that small, sharp pain, she was able to move her right arm and she reached for a special weapon she prepared for this fight. She threw kunais at the Anbu, with small sacks of explosive powder attached to the ends of these. The Anbu automatically deflected all the kunais, but he broke the small sacks attached to the kunais and sprayed it all over him and to the bushes behind him.

Sakura grabbed a normal kunai and wounded her left arm and both of her legs, so she can move. When she did, she attached an explosive tag seal on the end of the kunai and hurled it towards the Anbu. Of course, he evaded it and it hit the ground.

Sakura made a few backhand somersaults, to get away from the area and she smiled, "That's my special taijutsu, I hope you'll like it. It's called, Sakura Fubuki no Jutsu." **(Sakura Blizzard Technique)**

Then, the explosive tag seal ignited the explosive powders around the area and burned the falcon-masked Anbu and the two other Anbus hiding in the bushes. They rolled on the ground, extinguishing the fire that was engulfing them.

Official tally: Sakura wounded and exhausted but still up, Anbus – 12 down (including Sai), 1 still standing (Sasuke) and 1 missing (Yamato).

Sakura was still catching her breath when she noticed that wood was emerging from the ground. She leapt away and landed near Sasuke. He had his arms crossed on his chest and he looked at her. She looked at him back and asked, "What!"

Then, he looked ahead and stayed calm as always.

"The plan worked perfectly!" Yamato, who was nowhere in sight, said, "I got you exhausted, so I guess it will be easy."

"Whatever Yamato." Sakura made handseals and said, "Doton: Doryu Taiga!" **(Earth Release: Earth Flow River)**

Yamato came sliding out of his hiding place as a rapid flow of mud took him along.

Sakura made another set of handseals, "Doton: Doryudan!" **(Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet)**

A dragon's head emerged from the rapid flow of mud where Yamato was still trying to stand up. Then, this dragon made out of mud then opened its mouth and released bullets of mud flying towards Yamato.

Sakura made more handseals and opened her mouth, "Katon: Karyudan!" **(Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet)**

A dragon made out of fire was released from her mouth and ignited the flying mud projectiles at Yamato, who apparently had been making handseals as well.

Yamato exclaimed, "Mokuton: Moku Joheki!" **(Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall)**

A half dome made out of wood shielded Yamato from Sakura's combined attacks.

**(_A/N_: The attacks Sakura made to Yamato were actually the Sandaime's combination attacks when he fought Orochimaru in the series.)**

Sasuke could only stare at how much havoc Sakura has done. He was surprised; in fact, she wasn't **this** good when he fought her in Kirigakure.

Sakura panted as she waited for her ninjutsus to subside. When everything she summoned had settled down, Yamato was a bit wounded but he was still fine, as his technique protected him big time. His ninjutsu disappeared with a puff of smoke and he stood up straight, dusting himself off.

"Don't relax just yet, Yamato!" Sakura made another set of handseals, "Doton: Yomi Numa!" **(Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld)**

The ground where Yamato stood upon practically turned into a sinking swampland and he was sinking with it.

Sakura performed some handseals and said, "Hyoton: Tsubame Fubuki!" **(Ice Release: Swallow Snow Storm)**

Sakura had just launched a bunch of ice needles in the form of mini-swallows in the air and these hurled down onto the struggling Yamato on the swampy ground.

He was stabbed by these ice senbons a lot and he told Sakura, "You used a lot of techniques to beat me, impressive."

"Hehe, you're not an easy opponent, so it's necessary." Sakura answered and noticed that Sasuke was already out of sight.

"Sasuke, it's up to you now." Yamato said as he managed to get out of the swampy grounds but fell unconscious since his body cannot take the freezing sharp pain inflicted by the many ice senbons still penetrating on his skin.

Sakura sighed as she tried to prepare herself for the most dangerous and unpredictable one in the whole brigade – Uchiha Sasuke.

And then…

_TBC…_  
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**With Sakura's strength and chakra already depleting, how could she defeat the Uchiha genius, the man she used to love? She knows very well that good reflexes and an intense adrenalin rush won't save her from the wrath of Uchiha Sasuke… so how would she defeat him? Does this mean she cannot defend her honor to be the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage as the Godaime Hokage had boasted? No. This is not the end of it all. Most certainly not! Fight, Sakura, fight!**

**Action-packed Sasuke VS. Sakura, Chapter 73: _Once Again_**

"**_I hope you give it your very best. Prove to Konoha that you are, indeed, the strongest of all ninjas."_  
-Nara Ino**

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**_A/N:_ Yes, the next chapter is sooooooo action-packed I almost drooled on the computer! XD Thanks to sailorprincess3234 and Ayi for the wonderful chapter! It was made better by them! And I couldn't do it without them; in fact, it felt like I wasn't reading my own fic anymore! It felt like… I'm reading a prose-form Naruto manga! W00T! That's how action-packed it is! So prepare your popcorns and beverages for Chapter 73! Seatbelts? Optional. XD

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**

**I'm fishing for reviews in the sea of Homebound readers!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	73. Once Again

**_AUTHOR'S EXCLUSIVE APPRECIATION:_ Just so you know, this chapter was made by _sailorprincess3234_ and _Ayi_. I would like to thank them so much for writing this chapter while I'm attending to my other fics. And I'm really, really, blown away by how well this chapter was written. They did exceptionally well!**

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**OCTOBER 4, 2006: HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOMEBOUND!**

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**Okay, please excuse me for a moment as I personally want to thank these people, _who have been with me since the humble beginnings_ of Homebound last year, and _are still with me today_:**

**neon kun – Waaah! I love you so much! You have been with Homebound since its very first days! –huggles- Actually, this gal here, I always get to talk to her often. I have her cellphone number, so I can text her anytime I like. So we're actually friends, and we get kinda crazy at certain times. So crazy in fact, we'll be willing to bash each other! She's also a very persistent reviewer not only for Homebound, but also for my other stories.**

**Miyuki Tsukada – Waaah! I love you, too! You have been with Homebound since its very first days, and even wished me well when I had my right knee injured, and greeted me during: Christmas (December 25, 2005), New Year (January 1, 2006) and even on my birthday (August 18, 2006)! –huggles- This fella's a very persistent reviewer for Homebound!**

**iluvsasukerobin – Mwah! One of the most persistent reviewers of Homebound since its humble beginnings! –huggles-**

**dark Alley – Gee, I thought you're gone like the first reviewers of Homebound! But I was sooooooo glad when I saw you review somewhere in Chapter 60+ or so… waaaah! I missed you! Where have you gone? Are you still reading this? –strangles you- O.o**

**Hyuuga's Winged Guardian – I think you started reviewing for Homebound since November or December of 2005, right? At those times, I was very much anticipating your reviews, you know that? XD Because you tend to be so wacky at most times! –Whacks you with a comic book-**

**Sailorprincess3234 – HEY, THIS PERSON IS 1/3 OF THE AUTHORS FOR THIS CHAPTER, SO… -bows down in front of her- Ahehehe, she was the very first person who volunteered to help me write Chapter 73. And I really did appreciate her help! You have been very fantastic! Thank you! –huggles-**

**If I missed anyone who has been with me from the very start of Homebound, and are still here but I forgot to mention them, I'M SORRY! But thank you anyways! I give you my million-dollar huggle! O.o**

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**Of course…**

**THANKS TO ALL MY SUPPORTERS, TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN READING HOMEBOUND, TO ALL THOSE WHO DIDN'T GET ENOUGH SLEEP JUST THINKING OF WHAT HAPPENS NEXT TO THE STORY, TO ALL THOSE WHO DIDN'T SLEEP BECAUSE THEY'RE READING THE WHOLE THING, TO ALL OF YOU REVIEWERS… I love you all so much! Thank you for making Homebound a huge success! You are all my inspiration to go on! –group hug-**

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_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_

"**_Watcha staring at!"_** – Inner Sakura  
"_Kinda amusing, neh?"_ – Thoughts  
"Would you shut up for a moment?" – Dialogues  
**(Farting Technique)** – Jutsu English Translation

**So, without any further ado…**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Hehe, you're not an easy opponent, so it's necessary." Sakura answered and noticed that Sasuke was already out of sight.

"Sasuke, it's up to you now." Yamato said as he managed to get out of the swampy grounds but fell unconscious since his body cannot take the freezing sharp pain inflicted by the many ice senbons still penetrating on his skin.

Sakura sighed as she tried to prepare herself for the most dangerous and unpredictable one in the whole brigade – Uchiha Sasuke.

And then…

**(Chapter 73 – Once Again)**

Sakura ducked and ran as fast as she could around the arena, as kunais out of nowhere followed her around, with no signs of Sasuke.

Then, she sensed chakra coming at her way. She made some hand seals and exclaimed, "Suiton: Suijinheki!" **(Water Release: Water Encampment Wall)**

Using the underground water, she formed a swirling wall of water around her to protect herself from the fireballs coming at her from all directions.

The water splashed down immediately as the fireballs stopped aiming at her. Afterwards, she was panting already.

"_I used too many jutsus already, dropping down my chakra level… Yamato made a perfect strategy. Sasuke has more stamina than the others, and of course, I won't hesitate in engaging a fight with him, unless I'm already tired. He used all of the members of the squad, including Sai and himself to tire me out, just to let Sasuke have the upper hand for this last man stand."_ Sakura smirked, _"After all, Yamato **is** undeniably a strategic person."_

She sighed and reached for something from her holster.

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**--- FLASHBACK ---**

Sakura was on her way to the stadium, and she was climbing down the stairs. She stopped at her tracks when she saw Shikamaru and Ino standing in front of her.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sakura smiled at the couple.

"You know Sakura; I don't like the idea of you being the next Hokage." Ino pointed out, a frown evident on her face, "Because… perhaps one day you'll die only for Konoha, just so you could protect it… 'Coz that's the priority of a Hokage."

Sakura's smile had dissipated away when her best friend said that.

"And I don't want you getting embarrassed out there, just because of one man. You're not even Hokage yet and you can't stand a chance against **that** man. I know you're strong, Sakura, but I'm not yet still convinced that you will defeat **him**." Ino added, "I know you know what I'm talking about."

"Of course, Ino." Sakura replied, "You're talking about Sasuke."

"Exactly," Ino sighed, "Look, you will get tired out there and I'm sure Yamato has his plans to let you down. I mean, yeah, technically, he wants you to be a Hokage but it's just that… he will make a merciless plan to keep you busy and to make you exhausted. He wants you to give your best shot."

"And I will."

Ino smiled, "I hope you give it your very best. Prove to Konoha that you **are**, indeed, the strongest of all ninjas."

"I will, Ino, I will." Sakura nodded.

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

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"Should it be like our fight in Kirigakure?" Sakura asked, obviously mocking, "Well, now that you're without your curse, can you **naturally** beat **me**?"

She looked around the arena for any signs of the Uchiha. He was nowhere to be found. _"Of course he's not going to make himself seen until he gets me to the point where I'm at my weakest...at that moment he will make his final blow. The advantage that I do have is this: I've known him for years, we were on the same team, and even after he came back the first time, I have witnessed the new jutsus that he had learned. Although he is the most dangerous and the most unpredictable, I already know what he's capable of... even without the cursed seal." _With that last thought in mind Sakura took in a deep breath. _"I must win... I must! It's not only to prove that I am worthy of being Hokage but also, to prove to** him** once and for all...that I **am** not a weakling!"_

All noises in the stadium suddenly quieted down. "Let's see what you can really do, Sasuke. Come on out and play with me... don't hide... unless you're just afraid that I'll beat you in front of all these people." She said with a smirk. Her eyebrows rose and her smirk widened when she felt someone standing very close to her from behind. She heard a deep husky whisper in her ear.

"So you learned a few new jutsus... however... you are still that same little girl who would run after me when we were kids. You'll never beat me." Sakura slowly turned around to face him, the smirk on her face even wider. Sasuke was taken back by her expression. Before he could say another word, the Sakura standing before him suddenly vanished.

His eyes widened in shock when he realized what was going on. Before he was able to move out of the way, a kunai flew at him. At the last second he was able to jump away. He looked around for any signs of Sakura but he couldn't find her.

"Ah...so you used one of your clones to hide your location huh? You were able to mask your chakra with that of your clone and were able to sneak up from behind to attack." Sasuke continued to look around and he didn't see the pink haired kunoichi, "I thought you wanted to play with me? What? You gave up or something? I knew it... you are weak... you'll never make it as the 6th Hokage... you're the same girl from all those years ago... it's just that you learned a few more jutsus." A smug look came across his face, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Before he was able to speak another word, the ground beneath him suddenly crumbled and before he knew it he was pulled down to the ground. Sakura had just used Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu. **(Earth Release: Inner Decapitation Technique)** Sakura soon appeared in front of him and gave him a smirk.

She shook her head and she spoke, "Sasuke... Sasuke... I thought you would entertain me more than the others..." She pouted in a mocking way as she stood up, "You are making yourself look weak Sasuke-**kun**." Just then Sasuke smirked under his porcelain Anbu mask. Before she was able to open her mouth, he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Without even thinking about it, she jumped out of the way.

Just then, she saw a kunai with an explosive tag on it. She rolled on the ground, after the explosion and then she felt someone standing just behind her, his shadow casting over her frame.

Sasuke crouched down and hissed, "Stand up!"

Sakura got up and delivered punches, which he evaded smoothly. Her failed punches sometimes ended up hitting the walls, the ground, or any of the few trees located in the stadium, all of them, crumbled down due to her inherited Tsunade-like strength.

She gathered her chakra to her feet and was able to move swiftly. In a blink of an eye, she appeared in front of Sasuke and finally landed a square punch on his face, crushing his Anbu mask into pieces.

He landed on the ground and was dragged up to the wall due to the impact. He choked out some blood and his face was wounded several times due to the debris of the mask. He dusted himself off and stood up.

Sakura was really exhausted now, she looked weary, and she was trying to catch her breath. She might not be able to stand up on the next blow.

Sasuke quickly made a few recognizable hand seals. Sakura, realizing what jutsu he was about use, got ready to counter it.

"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled out **(Fire Release: Art of the Phoenix Flower). **On cue Sasuke sent a flurry of fire balls at her. Quickly forming the appropriate hand seals, Sakura countered with a Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu **(Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)**.The water dragon sizzled against the oncoming fireballs, emitting steam on contact, but they did nothing to stop the hidden shurikens that were still coming towards her. **(_A/N:_ Sasuke used this combo against the Sound Nins during the very first Chuunin Exams). **

She stared wide-eyed at the flying projectiles, but quickly regained her senses and flipped out of the way. Apparently, her weariness was getting to her more than she thought. _"Damn. I have to finish this quickly! I don't know how much longer I could last!" _she thought to herself while catching her breath. Sasuke just stood there wearing his famous smirk.

"**_Geez," _**Inner Sakura scoffed,**_ "that's real positive thinking."_**

Sakura mentally groaned. _"I don't have time for this. And when did you suddenly get back!"_

"_**Just about a minute ago… anyways, do you plan on getting Sasuke-baka's respect by just standing there!"**_

Sakura was trying to ignore her inner alter ego's mocking words, but it seems Sasuke had the same idea. "You're boring me, Sakura," he said dully. "Is this all we can expect from Tsunade's apprentice?" he taunted, "Just as I thought, same old weak little Sakura. You might as well give up."

"**_Okay, hot or not, you better make him eat those words! Damn it!" _**InnerSakura boasted furiously.Then again, Sakura was feeling the same way. With renewed vigor, she charged Sasuke throwing punches and kicks every which way.

"_My punch to his face must have weakened him," _Sakura realized.True to her assumptions, Sasuke had become noticeably slower. Every other punches or so was hitting its mark. After the last few punches were thrown, both had jumped apart and now stood a distance away from each other, breathing heavily.

"This ends now, Sakura!" hissed Sasuke between deep breaths, growing impatient with her. He began charging the Chidori in the palm of his hand.

"_So this is it, huh?" _Sakura thought as she started powering her Shosen Jutsu.

"_**You get him girl! **_

When the Chidori reached its peak, Sasuke immediately began his charge dragging his arm behind him. With her Shosen Jutsu ready, Sakura did the same. Their attacks met in a huge explosion scattering dust, blinding the entire audience. As the screen was slowly dissipating, the audience was on the edge of their seats. Tsunade, looked down from the Hokage's box with anticipation. "_Come on Sakura!"_ she thought clenching her fist. "_I know you can do it!"_

As the veil finally lifted, it revealed Sasuke's right and Sakura's left hands barely touching, while Sakura's left arm was looking quite battered and had several gashes along it. Upon closer inspection however, one could find Sakura's right fist had landed a powerful blow to Sasuke's gut.

Coughing some blood Sasuke lowered his head and smirked, "Congratulations, Sakura, you indeed have gotten stronger." he whispered so only she could hear.

With that, he collapsed on her much like he did in the Chuunin Exams way back then, sending them both to the ground with Sakura in an odd kneeling position. _"Arigatou, Sasuke-kun,"_ she thought to herself quietly.

The Godaime Hokage stood up and broke the silence with her applauds for the apprentice. Tsunade had tears in her eyes, proudly looking down on her beloved student. Following that, the audience went into a huge uproar and cheered the now, future Rokudaime Hokage, who has proven herself worthy of the title.

_TBC…_  
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**Two days had passed after Sakura's glorious victory in the Konoha Stadium, and everyone's recuperating now. Sakura didn't suffer that much damage, and in fact, she's very happy while she's recovering in the hospital. Sai, her administrative assistant, questions her unusually bubbly demeanor. At the other side of the hospital, Naruto discloses to his wife a flaw Sasuke deliberately made two days ago, at the fight with Sakura in the stadium, as they sat beside the sleeping and recuperating Uchiha Sasuke.**

**On the next chapter of Homebound: _The Secret Truth_**

"_**You know there's no such thing as political excellence, Sakura."**_  
**-Sai**

**_A/N:_ So, was this chapter good or what? TO ME, IT'S EXCELLENT! Hehe, really, I want to thank _sailorprincess3234_ and _Ayi_ again for the fantastic Chapter 73! I love it, superb! I hope you guys loved it as much as I did!**

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**_AUTHOR'S APOLOGY:_ I want to apologize to everyone who had been anticipating Homebound last October 4… You see, my PC got spyware, so I can't log in to any of my accounts in the net, or else my passwords and accounts will be sent to that damned remote attacker. Also, I'm going to be really, really busy in school, so expect that updates are going to be a little late than the usual… Sorry guys, really… :(**

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**_CLARIFICATION FOR A MISCONCEPTION IN HOMEBOUND:_ SAKURA IS NOT YET THE ROKUDAIME HOKAGE. She was just introduced to Konoha by Tsunade that she would be soon taking the title as Rokudaime Hokage. And to prove to the people that Sakura is the strongest ninja of all ninjas, Tsunade issued a showdown in the Konoha Stadium.**

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**REVIEW THIS CHAPPIE!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	74. The Secret Truth

**_AUTHOR'S APOLOGIES:_ I told you guys… Updates are going to be slower by this time. Why?**

**1. My computer got infected by a spyware, so I can't log in to any of my internet accounts, or else somebody would know my accounts and their passwords. I've tried some of the top spyware removal programs, but the system says it's still there.**

**2. I'm quite busy with school.**

**3. I have to go to an internet café just to use the internet SAFELY. You know, without malwares! Sheesh…**

**UPDATES! I'M ON SEMESTRAL BREAK!!! WEEHEE!!! NOW I CAN WRITE ALL I WANT! Anyway… I just finished Chapters 79, 80, and 81. I finished editing Chapter 77. And I'm still going to edit Chapters 78-81. Afterwards, I can proceed to writing Chapter 82. Weehee!

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**(Chapter 74 – The Secret Truth)**

"Aside from Uchiha Sasuke, everyone's back into their regular routines, Tsunade-sama." Shizune reported as she stood before the busy Godaime Hokage in her office.

"And Sai?" Tsunade asked, piling a paper she signed on the stacks to the left.

"Sai is on his assigned routine as expected," Shizune replied, "right now he's beside Sakura, who is resting in the Konoha Hospital. Later on, he should be reporting here to get the papers for Sakura to sign."

"Good. Well, what about his health? He's not beaten that badly, right?"

"Not at all, Tsunade-sama." Shizune smiled, "I think Sakura went easy on him and Sai gave Sakura a chance to win over him."

"That's better than being beat up badly."

Silence reverberated throughout Tsunade's office.

"Tsunade-sama, aren't you going to ask about Uchiha Sasuke?" Shizune wondered.

"No, why?"

"I thought you have forgiven him for his faults?"

"Yes, I have." Tsunade sighed, "Why should I worry about him?"

"He has the most injuries, aside from Yamato. He was internally injured and we had to perform an operation on him and it took around 7 other medics, aside from me, to heal his wounds. Sakura's wounds only took 2 medics to heal her, while Yamato's injuries took 4 medic nins to heal him." Shizune told Tsunade, "2 days had passed since the day Sasuke and Sakura fought in the stadium. And on that same day, he was rushed to the Konoha Hospital, and we immediately performed the operation on him… and he didn't wake up yet."

"So for 2 days, he was sleeping like a baby?" Tsunade asked.

"We can put it that way."

"No abnormal brainwaves?"

"None."

"Then he's fine."

"Aren't you concerned he won't wake up?"

"Look Shizune, if you were beaten that badly and you were internally injured that severely, don't you think you'll need plenty of sleep?"

Shizune was silenced by that.

"Have you ever wondered why we want to sleep so badly whenever we're tired? The human body produces the energy lost by sleeping. When a person is tired, his brain automatically relays messages throughout the human body to grab a rest and sleep. And when he gives in, some parts of the brain shuts down tentatively, giving the person ease and comfort, as the rest of his body tries to recuperate from fatigue. His body is doing just that. He will wake up, so don't panic." Tsunade sighed, "Why are you so worried about him? It's not like he's going to die."

Shizune bowed, "Sorry about that, Tsunade-sama."

"… If he was injured badly, I'm sure Sakura will make a move." The Hokage added quietly.

"Pardon, Tsunade-sama?" Shizune blinked.

"Oh nothing, nothing." Tsunade shrugged her shoulders, "I said, 'Can you get me some sake?' Well, would you?"

"No way!" Shizune replied.

"Okay, I won't give you your salary for this month."

"WHAT! On second thought, I'll get you some sake right away!" Shizune hurried out of the office.

Meanwhile…

"Why am I here again?" Sai whined as he sat beside his 'master and commander', Sakura, who was comfortably plopped down on the reclined hospital bed, with a remote control on her right hand, happily flipping through channels.

"That's because you're my bodyguard and let's see… my attendant?" Sakura stuck a tongue out at Sai.

Sai's left eye twitched, "Me, as your… attendant? Isn't that the same as being your maid?"

"What, do you want to wear a maid uniform too? We can do that." Sakura grinned.

"Gee, why are you so happy today?"

"Actually, I don't know either."

"Is it because you're going to be Rokudaime Hokage?"

"Hmm… maybe?"

He sighed, "But this isn't your dream, right Sakura?"

"How would you know?"

"All you want to be is a renowned medic and kunoichi, just like the Godaime."

"Then now, I want to be a good Hokage who can serve her people well with wisdom, strength and political excellence."

"You know there's no such thing as political excellence, Sakura."

"Well, close to political excellence."

Sai smacked his forehead with his right hand. He couldn't win at a debate with Sakura. After all, Sakura is a wise mouth. He stood up from his seat after catching the time on the clock mounted on the wall of the room.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sakura asked.

"I'll be right back." Sai faked a smile, "I'm the Rokudaime's assistant, right? And I'm tasked today to report to the Hokage tower to get some important documents for you to read and sign, of course, in preparation of your reign as Rokudaime Hokage."

"Well, okay," Sakura smiled back, "be careful!"

Sai nodded and closed the door.

"Hmm, why is she so bubbly today?" Sai whispered to himself seriously as he walked through the hallways of the Konoha Hospital.

"_Maybe because she just proved before the people of Konoha that she is indeed the strongest ninja in the Land of Fire, and with that as proof, she can rule Konoha with wisdom and tranquil."_ Sai thought.

"Maybe so." He murmured to himself once more, this time, with a smile on his face.

Back at the Konoha Hospital (in another room)…

Naruto sat on a chair as he stared at the sleeping patient on the bed. Hinata, his faithful wife, seated right next to him, with her arm entwined with Naruto's.

"You think…" Naruto broke the silence in the room, "It's either Sasuke-teme missed hitting Sakura-chan with the Chidori... or… did Sakura-chan do the almost impossible of evading the Chidori?"

"You told me once, Naruto-kun," Hinata replied, "that when you went face to face with Sasuke… it was impossible for you to evade the Chidori… if you can't do it, then how would Sakura-chan do well with it?"

"Not even an adrenalin rush can save you from evading the Chidori." Naruto added as she glanced at the sleeping, recuperating Uchiha Sasuke before them, "It's impossible to evade the Chidori… most especially now that I'm pretty sure that Sasuke-teme has mastered it. Chidori requires incredible chakra control, altering its shape and its nature. The chakra's altered nature in Chidori is electricity, and the human body is a conductor of electricity… by nature, we attract electricity, so it's very much close to impossible in evading the Chidori."

"So you're saying…?" Hinata stared at Naruto wide-eyed.

"Sasuke-teme couldn't miss targets, especially at that point of close combat already." Naruto nodded, "He deliberately altered the course of his Chidori from hitting Sakura-chan at full impact."

"If he didn't do it on purpose-"

"Sakura-chan might have died at that point… if Sasuke didn't change the course of his Chidori." Naruto added.

_TBC…_

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**Sasuke wakes up and further informs Naruto about the deliberate alternation of his Chidori in his fight with Sakura two days back. Naruto tells Sasuke highly classified information that Yamato told him about. Meanwhile, Sakura is quite confused at why the Mizukage, who would visit Konoha the day after tomorrow, is asking for her presence instead of the Godaime's. Sasuke discloses a secret to Naruto… a secret that Sasuke kept to himself for a very long, long time…**

**Read on the next chapter: _Deadly Secrets_**

"**_Yamato-taichou and Sai will be unavailable due to their given administrative powers by Sakura-chan, so there's a high possibility that you might take over the 7th Elite Anbu brigade as their captain, totally replacing Yamato-taichou."_**

**-Uzumaki Naruto**

**_A/N:_ Aren't you itching to find out what those 'deadly secrets' are? Hehehe! Read on, fellas!**

**Got reviews?**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	75. Deadly Secrets

**_READ FIRST – ATTENTION! THE AUTHOR NEEDS YOUR HELP!!!_ YES! I NEED YOUR HELP!!! I'm actually looking for a person who knows Nihonggo. I need that person to translate Japanese lyrics into English. If you're one, or if you know someone who knows Nihonggo, just tell me.**

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**_UPDATES!_ I finished writing chapters 82 and 83 this week. I also finished editing chapters 78-83. I'm planning to take a break for a while to form more stimulating ideas. This time off will also lead me to continue writing the chapters for my other fic, _Unfaithful_. Anyway…**

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**FOR THOSE WHO ARE READING MY OTHER SASUSAKU STORY, _UNFAITHFUL_… I FINALLY UPDATED! CHAPTER 8 IS UP! XD**

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**Hehe, that's all… so without any further ado…**

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**(Previously…)**

"So you're saying…?" Hinata stared at Naruto wide-eyed.

"Sasuke-teme couldn't miss targets, especially at that point of close combat already." Naruto nodded, "He deliberately altered the course of his Chidori from hitting Sakura-chan at full impact."

"If he didn't do it on purpose-"

"Sakura-chan might have died at that point… if Sasuke didn't change the course of his Chidori." Naruto added.

**(Chapter 75 – Deadly Secrets)**

"I didn't want to embarrass her…" a cracked voice reverberated in the room, answering Naruto, "So… you found out…?"

"Don't worry, it wasn't really obvious, Sasuke-teme." Naruto smiled a bit, "I think I was the only one who noticed that flaw."

Sasuke smirked, "Heh… Getting smarter, dobe?"

"Not really." Naruto scratched the back of his ear, "Well, it's true that if Sakura-chan got defeated by you, she would be embarrassed for not really being the strongest ninja among all of us and, not only her, but also Tsunade-baachan would be embarrassed… for boasting her most prized apprentice who couldn't defeat one ninja after defeating the others."

"It was a rather smart choice…" Hinata added, "A saving act, if you may."

"Hn." Sasuke closed his eyes with a small smirk still on his face.

"Really, you spared the teacher and student from humiliation, for the prize of your life?" Naruto shook his head in ridicule, "If Konoha didn't have Tsunade-baachan to teach medics advanced healing skills, you might have died as soon as you've been rushed to this hospital. And according to Shizune-neechan, it took quite a handful of medics, including Shizune-neechan, herself, to heal your internal wounds, as well as your injuries. If they didn't act quickly, you might have been six feet under right now or you might not become a ninja anymore due to severe internal damages."

Sasuke scanned the dark room, actually darkened by the dark blue curtains blocking the welcoming light from the window. He ran a hand through his messy raven hair and sighed audibly.

"Consider yourself lucky! Oh and… you'll be staying here for two more days." Naruto informed, "Just so you know, you've been sleeping for two days already with three medics regularly visiting you to heal your wounds over and over again so you could go back to Anbu duty as soon as possible… By the way…I heard that Tsunade-baachan had been planning a high-risk S-rank mission for an Elite Anbu brigade, before she leaves her seat as Hokage. Although Tsunade-baachan has not decided yet on which of the Elite Anbu brigades should she send for the mission, Shizune-neechan, who we all know is working very closely with the Godaime, says that the 7th Elite Anbu brigade might be the ones to be sent out for the mission. Hey, that's your squad, right? Yamato-taichou and Sai will be unavailable due to their given administrative powers by Sakura-chan, so there's a high possibility that you might take over the 7th Elite Anbu brigade as their captain, totally replacing Yamato-taichou."

"As of now, all I know is that Tsunade-baachan is sending specialized spies outside Konoha and to foreign lands to gather as much information as they could for the S-rank mission. The mission is said to consume a lot of time, maybe months or years in fact, before it can be accomplished. It would take a lot of courage, strategies, and exceptional professional Anbu skills to make the mission possible… that's why the Godaime didn't want to give this mission to an exceptional jounin team, or an ordinary Anbu brigade, but to the upper class and specialized Elite Anbu brigades, such as the 7th brigade, the 1st, 5th, 6th, 8th 9th and 12th. One of those brigades might be sent out to do this high-risk mission. Yamato-taichou said this is highly classified information, but he dared tell these to me, and now, I am telling this to you. If anyone else, aside from us, knows about this, they are sure to be dead with a snap of the Godaime's fingers. So Sasuke-teme, let's keep this classified information between you, me, my wife, and Yamato-taichou exclusively. It's better off if we keep this circle, very, very small, so as to avoid unnecessary deaths. Oh and, neither Yamato-taichou nor I know what the high-risk, S-rank mission is all about yet." Naruto continued as he kept his voice down the more.

"You're really a dobe, you know that?" Sasuke replied, "You just don't know what mess you've put yourself into, not only you, but your wife and me as well. If somebody finds out that there had been a leak about the Godaime's plans, then we're dead for sure. You're so nosy… with a good wicked purpose."

Naruto grinned, "Hey, this matter concerns you, too! So I guessed that it would be a good thing if I inform you on this thing beforehand, so you could prepare for it, if ever you're the one and your brigade handpicked by Tsunade-baachan to do the mission."

Meanwhile…

"Ehh?" Sakura reacted while reading a document, "The Mizukage will visit Konoha the day after tomorrow for a peace treaty, to sign an alliance contract with Konoha and the whole Land of Fire, and to get volunteer Anbus and jounins to teach the ninjas more skills in Kirigakure?"

"Well, I heard that the Godaime promised a truce with Kirigakure for keeping you safe in their land." Sai informed, while arranging the piles of documents he got from the Hokage Tower, "So consider your attendance there an honor."

"Yeah, but how did the news about me becoming the next Hokage reach Kirigakure **that** fast? Only two days have passed, right? And Kirigakure, that far of a land… how-"

"As the saying goes, 'news has wings and the lands have ears'. Don't you still understand how gossips spread like killer viruses on the loose in just a short period of time? The same is through with news, you know."

"Well okay, so that explains it. But why are they asking for **my** presence when it was Tsunade-sama who promised the Mist a truce? And yet, in this invitational, the Godaime Hokage isn't included, but in her place, **I** would be attending! What the hell's up with that?"

"Sakura, you **hag**, the Mizukage's asking for your presence because weren't **you** the one they took care of while hiding from Sasuke?"

"Okay, now that makes sense-" Sakura paused for a while and then… "WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!?!?!?!"

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Back to Sasuke's room in the Konoha Hospital…

"Naruto-kun, I'll just visit Sakura-chan in her room for a while." Hinata kissed her husband's cheek and left the room.

"Going back to our first topic, Sasuke-teme," Naruto said, "Why did you do it?"

Sasuke glared at the blonde-haired, cerulean-eyed man who sat by him. Though his face does not show it, he was stunned by that question and he thought quite hard whether to answer it or not. The Uchiha prodigy was silenced with that question.

"Why?" Naruto repeated, "You could finish her off, but when you were just inches away from hitting her body at full impact with your Chidori, you decided to deliberately alter the course of your attack and you wasted your chakra, and she only received a few wounds and scratches from you, but you… you took a beating from her, she damaged your insides with her Shosen Jutsu… You almost died when the medical team was sending you on the way here to the hospital, all that to spare her from humiliation, and to show Konoha that she can defeat the only heir of the vanished Uchiha Clan, to show Konoha that she is the strongest ninja of today, that she has indeed… surpassed her mentor, the Godaime Hokage… but what I don't understand is, why?"

The onyx-eyed man stared at the ceiling and contemplated on his best friend's question.

"I don't get it, Sasuke-teme. You pushed her away when she was chasing you around when we were still genins; when the two of you were engaged, you broke her heart and she called it quits, you tried to kill her in Kirigakure, killing so many other innocent people on the way, and now this. Why, Sasuke-teme? Why show mercy on someone you consider 'pathetic', 'annoying' and 'weak'? Aren't you confusing her that way? Or are you just plain playing blind? Why? Why did you do it?"

Naruto wasn't really questioning Sasuke; he just wanted Sasuke to tell of his true feelings towards the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage, Haruno Sakura.

"Consider this information highly classified just between the two of us," Sasuke closed his eyes, "… I love her."

Naruto smiled and made no comment.

But for Sasuke, it's no smiling matter; it pierces his soul whenever he admits to himself that he really loves Sakura. His eyes opened, showing guilt, self-anger, regret… sadness.

"And don't ask me why I love her… It just… It just… It just so happened that… I have indeed started to love her back. For the reason, I don't know." Sasuke fought against his tears threatening to fall from his eyes by gnashing his teeth and clenching his trembling fists underneath the covers, "I love Sakura. And it hurts to admit it… because… it's all too late now."

Sasuke could no longer fight the emotions building up on his gradually melting ice wall…

And Naruto's smile turned upside down as he pitied the man in front of him. Eventually, the frown on his lips shaped an 'o' as to what he saw. He thought he would never live the day when this would happen.

Tears had escaped from the Uchiha's eyes.

Yes, Uchiha Sasuke was crying.

But then again, it must be his fault that it all broke down to a regretful and pitiful point like this.

He would make sacrifices for her… because he loves her so much.

… But his love came all too late.

_TBC…_  
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**Sakura, with her complete set of advisors and a group of jounins, are set at the pier outside of Konoha, early in the morning. What are they doing there? To welcome the arrival of the Mizukage. But what's this? All of them, except for Sai, Sakura and Yamato, have frozen up due to the extreme cold!**

**Coming up next: _The Mist's Green Eyes_**

"_**Yamato-taichou, hurry up and gather the jounins back here!"**_  
**-Haruno Sakura**

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**_A/N:_ Hehehe, can you guess who's the Mizukage? Anyway… YAY!!! I FIXED THE COMPUTER!!! WEE!!! NOW I CAN UPDATE FROM HOME!!!**

**Well, you know what to do! REVIEW!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	76. The Mist's Green Eyes

**1203 REVIEWS?!?!?!?! THAT'S CRAAAAAAAAAZY!!! Oh my gosh... I never knew I would create a fic that could roll the counts like that... THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!!! LET'S KEEP IT UP!!! XD **

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**_UPDATES!_ Well, not much had happened, but hey! Chapter 84 is still being written.**

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**(Chapter 76 – The Mist's Green Eyes)**

"Hey, it's freezing out here!" Sai, wearing a black sweater whined, as he stood beside Sakura, who was wearing a red sweater.

"Just shut up and try to stand still." Sakura's vein popped out of her temple, "Even **I** don't want to be here, you know. It's still 6:00 in the morning, damn it and they said the Mizukage will be arriving at this port and we have to be here before they do."

They were at the pier outside Konoha. Along with them are a few jounins, and behind Sakura and Sai are Naruto, Kakashi and Yamato.

"Neh, Sakura-chan, are you sure they said 6:00 A.M. or is it P.M.?" Naruto asked groggily.

"I'm affirmative that Tsunade-sama told me that we should be here at 6:00 A.M." the upcoming Rokudaime replied.

"And what time would the Mizukage's vessel should be arriving at this port?" Kakashi asked, while reading his favorite orange book.

Sakura was silenced for a while, "I don't know."

"Then we'll be suffering hypothermia any minute now." Sai smiled.

Sakura whacked Sai, "THAT WASN'T A GOOD JOKE YOU KNOW!"

"Ouch!" Sai massaged his head, "Why do you have to be so cranky, hag?"

"WHAT-DID-YOU-JUST-CALL-**MEEEEEEEEE**?!" Sakura's eyes almost dropped out of their socket, as she raged in anger.

"Please be true to your manners, Rokudaime-san." Yamato reminded, "You don't want the Mizukage to see you with that attitude, now do you?"

Sakura pouted and stood at attention while they wait for the Mizukage.

1 hour later…

"Rokudaime-san…" Yamato sweatdropped.

"Could you just call me by my name?" Sakura turned.

"Sakura." Yamato corrected himself.

"What?"

"The jounins are freezing." Yamato pointed at the shaking jounins, to Naruto who had his arms crossed and his face turning a pale blue shade, his jaw chattering uncontrollably, and to a seemingly frozen Kakashi, who stood still but had his nose still stuck in his beloved orange book.

Sakura looked at Yamato who seemed well-warmed by his thick sweater, and then she looked at Sai.

"What?" Sai asked.

"Are you sure you're immune to hypothermia?" Sakura grinned.

"Who said there was immunity to hypothermia? Just because you're smarter doesn't make me stupid!" Sai remarked, "It's freezing out here, but I'm doing just fine as Yamato."

"Fine then." Sakura replied, "Naruto, Kakashi-sensei, and the rest of the jounins except for Yamato and Sai, get some hot beverages for yourselves so as to warm up. I'm only giving you 20 minutes, so be back here after your given time."

The jounins saluted, "Y-Yes, Ma'am!"

And they ran to the various coffeehouses nearby.

Sakura sighed, "It's already 7:00 A.M. The sun is going to be high soon, so the temperature here should rise a bit."

"I heard the Mizukage is accompanied by one of the Mist's best Anbus." Yamato commented.

"One of those best Anbus might be my cousin, Haruno Kashime." Sakura replied, as she focused on the foggy horizon of the seas.

Sai seemed to have been focusing on the same area Sakura was staring at. Then, out of the foggy horizon emerged a silhouette of a ship.

"Yamato-taichou, hurry up and gather the jounins back here!" Sakura fixed herself, "The Mizukage's vessel is here."

Yamato saluted and he disappeared in thin air.

"Bow down, Sai." Sakura said as she was the first to bend her body at the waist, bowing to the arriving Mizukage.

Sai did as he was told.

Five minutes later, trumpet blasts can be heard near the Konoha pier. These were from the Mizukage's vessel. The ship finally docked and the first one to step on the Land of Fire was the Mizukage's escort.

The Mizukage was wearing the usual baggy white robes; the famous triangular hat with a kanji on it that translates to 'Mist' and an emblem of Kirigakure secured on the waist. The white veil covered the nose and mouth of the Mizukage, the shadow of that triangular hat hiding away the eyes of this powerful leader.

The Mizukage never left the vessel yet, as he seemed to be looking at the surroundings of the pier, and to the two people bowing down to him.

"We made a schedule, haven't we?" the escort said.

"_Why is that voice so familiar?"_ Sai looked up a bit.

And he saw that the escort was none other than Mayonima Shio!

"We told you that the Mizukage would be arriving on this day and at this time! How come only two representatives of the Godaime Hokage are here to welcome us? Are you trying to mock the Mizukage?" Shio scolded, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes showing disappointment.

"We're very sorry for this. We have been here for one hour. There's not only the two of us here, but also, there are a lot more jounins and the complete set of my advisors to welcome you. Due to the extreme cold, I allowed the jounins to have a coffee break. However, I didn't expect that you would be arriving after I tentatively dismissed them. I sent an advisor of mine to fetch the jounins back here. On behalf of the Land of Fire, I'm very sorry." Sakura explained.

Shio sighed, "Apology accepted."

Shio reached a hand out to the Mizukage and helped the leader disembark the ship and set foot on the Land of Fire.

"I heard that the Godaime had chosen her successor, however not yet inaugurated." Shio said as he walked behind the veiled Mizukage, "We don't know who is this person yet, that's why we asked for his or her presence to welcome the Mizukage."

The Mizukage stopped in front of Sakura and Sai.

"I do expect that the upcoming Rokudaime should be either of you two here present." Shio spoke, "Or did the upcoming Rokudaime go for a coffee break as well?"

Sai and Sakura stood at attention. Sai said, in defense for Sakura, "May I introduce to you the Land of Fire's next Hokage, Haruno Sakura, apprentice and chosen successor of the Godaime Hokage."

Sakura bowed again and then stood straight, flashing a formal smile to the Mizukage, "Welcome to the Land of Fire, Mizukage-sama. I am Haruno Sakura, the chosen upcoming Rokudaime Hokage."

"Did you just say Haruno?" Shio murmured, his eyes widening, as he looked at the Mizukage, "Mizukage-sama?"

The Mizukage tilted his head up a bit, and the eyes, no longer shadowed by the triangular hat, widened at the sight of Sakura.

Sakura's smile went blank as she saw the Mizukage's eyes similar to her green orbs. The green eyes of the Mizukage almost welled up with tears and seemingly have shrunk in delight of seeing Sakura.

The Mizukage suddenly hugged Sakura so tight, that Sakura almost didn't know what, or rather, who hit her. The Mizukage hugged the upcoming Rokudaime and with a gust of morning sea wind, the Mizukage's triangular hat fell off and revealed long strands of orange hair.

The Mizukage stared at Sakura in sheer pride and said in a very feminine voice, "I can't believe it! Look at you! You're going to be Hokage, while I'm already a Mizukage!"

"Kashime?" Sakura smiled at the Mizukage, "Kashime, you're the Mizukage?"

_TBC…_  
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**So Sakura learns that Kashime is now the Mizukage. And Kashime knows that Sakura will be the Rokudaime Hokage. But in another case, Kakashi questions Yamato about a very highly classified information.**

**Find out what's up with: _Disclosures_**

"_**Then what's your other reason for leaving your brigade?"**_  
**-Hatake Kakashi**

**_A/N_: Ooh… highly classified info! Me likey! Do you likey? Okay, I'm on a sugar high again, w00t. Yay! Kashime is back! Well, kinda... Hehehehe...  
**

**Anyway, are there any Filipinos out there who live in Nueva Ecija? Talavera, Nueva Ecija in particular. That's because I'll be there from November 13-17! I'm gonna be there for the Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC)! I'm the Copy Reading & Headline Writing: English champion of our division (Angeles City)! So all of you who will be there in the same category as I am, WATCH OUT! Grr…. XD Wish me luck!**

**Reviews are sugar! GIMME MORE SUGAR!!!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	77. Disclosures

**(From the last chapter…)**

"Did you just say Haruno?" Shio murmured, his eyes widening, as he looked at the Mizukage, "Mizukage-sama?"

The Mizukage tilted his head up a bit, and the eyes, no longer shadowed by the triangular hat, widened at the sight of Sakura.

Sakura's smile went blank as she saw the Mizukage's eyes similar to her green orbs. The green eyes of the Mizukage almost welled up with tears and seemingly have shrunk in delight of seeing Sakura.

The Mizukage suddenly hugged Sakura so tight, that Sakura almost didn't know what, or rather, who hit her. The Mizukage hugged the upcoming Rokudaime and with a gust of morning sea wind, the Mizukage's triangular hat fell off and revealed long strands of orange hair.

The Mizukage stared at Sakura in sheer pride and said in a very feminine voice, "I can't believe it! Look at you! You're going to be Hokage, while I'm already a Mizukage!"

"Kashime?" Sakura smiled at the Mizukage, "Kashime, you're the Mizukage?"

**(Chapter 77 – Disclosures)**

Kashime nodded and pinched the cheek of Sakura, "And you're going to be Hokage!"

Shio picked up the triangular hat of the Mizukage and sweatdropped, "Mizukage-sama, your manners please!"

"Hmph! I don't get it, why do you have to be so strict, Shio?" Kashime pulled off the veil covering her nose and mouth, "If you continue with that, then our wedding should be called off!"

"This is amazing!" Sakura grinned, "I can't believe you're Mizukage! And you're getting married? Wow!"

"Yeah, isn't it amazing? I, myself, can't believe how fast things have been for me! It was just like yesterday that I've been training under the former Mizukage!" Kashime placed the triangular hat back on her head once again, when she noticed the guy standing near Sakura, "Ooh… Who's this cute guy? Is he yours, Sakura?"

Having the odd friendly nature Sai has, he smiled at the Mizukage and he greeted, "Hello, my name is Sai. I'm the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage's assistant."

"What? Assistant? This too cutie of a guy? Sakura, my cousin dearest, come on, this guy's **fine** I tell ya!" the always mischievous orange-haired lady told her cousin, "Hi! My name's Haruno Kashime! I'm Sakura's first degree cousin! If people are not around, you may call me Kashime, but if my 'fans' are around and during formalities, please make the proper address, as you can see, I'm the Mizukage, okay?"

Shio was looking a bit jealous and murmured, "How come she calls him a cutie? Gee, I'm your fiancé and you never call me anything adorable!"

And unfortunately, Kashime heard Shio's ranting.

"Shio, you're a hottie and a hunk, I just said he's a cutie. Lighten up, will ya?" Kashime turned to Shio and winked.

Yamato arrived, bringing along with him the jounins. And immediately, they bowed before the Mizukage, with Yamato saying, "Apologies, Mizukage-sama-"

"No need!" the feminine voice of the Mizukage made some of the jounins' heads look up, "Sakura just explained to me what happened. Anyway, I really want a good hot bath, mind showing me around Konoha like what you always did in our childhood days, Sakura-chaaan? We can have the meeting some other time, you know. I'll be staying here for the whole week anyway."

"Yeah sure." Sakura sweatdropped, "But let me show you to your hotel first, okay?"

"Wow, I have a hotel room?" the orange-haired Mizukage clasped her hands together and had a sparkle in her eyes, "Konoha is so hospitable!"

"_Well duh, you're the Mizukage, remember? Sheesh, Kashime…"_ Sakura thought.

Sakura started walking, "Shall we, Mizukage-sama?"

"We shall!" Kashime nodded as she bubbly tailed her cousin.

"Sakura, what the hell is going on?" Yamato asked.

Sakura bent over Yamato and murmured, "Please show the rest of the visitors their accommodations, and then please go back to your regular routines. Sai and I will guard her. Oh and, I'll explain a little later… that is if I'm lucky enough to get Kashime- I mean, the Mizukage-sama off my sleeves."

The pink-haired upcoming Rokudaime winked and continued on walking.

Yamato looked at the Mizukage's vessel and saw that the other Konoha jounins were already helping the crew of the ship to dock it properly in the Konoha ship shelters. He then looked at the remaining jounins.

"Okay, we did what we're supposed to do. Embarrassing as it may seem, we slightly failed it, though. Rokudaime-san ordered that you all should go back to your regular routines, but that is only after you show the rest of the Mizukage's crew Konoha's accommodations for them. She and Sai would handle things from here on in, regarding the Mizukage. Naruto and Kakashi, please go ahead of me to report to Tsunade-sama. Dismissed." Yamato said.

"Eh? Aren't you coming with us, Yamato-taichou?" Naruto asked.

"No," Yamato smiled, "I just have to finish a few things here. I'll follow soon afterwards."

The jounins who have helped in the docking of the Mizukage's vessel are now leaving with the crew, so as the rest of the jounins present at the site. Naruto had left, but Hatake Kakashi hadn't.

"Kakashi, you're included, too, you know." Yamato raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm sure you know about it, Tenzou." Kakashi withdrew his book and kept it in his pockets.

"Geez, Kakashi, why do you have to call me by my real name when it's just you and me? Call me Yamato, sheesh!" Yamato scratched his head, "Oh well, what do you mean by 'you're sure I know something about what?'"

"About the S-rank mission Tsunade-sama had been secretly planning before she leaves her seat as Hokage." Kakashi answered, "Well?"

"Ah, about that." Yamato had a dark look in his eyes, "And that it was the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade that she chose for the mission. And that this decision was just released last night to the Headquarters and had been considered highly classified information. Is that it?"

"Exactly."

"Sai already gave his temporary leave form from the brigade as he's busy with assisting Sakura. Haven't you heard that I also did the same thing he did, Kakashi? We're both advisors of Sakura now. And in my case, I just learned that being the upcoming Rokudaime's advisor and being the captain of the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade is a pain to juggle. I temporarily left the brigade for a more important task, which is being an advisor to the next Hokage."

Kakashi stared at Yamato, "You have other reasons for that."

"You're wise as ever, Kakashi." Yamato smirked, "Yeah, that's right. I have another reason for the temporary leave."

"Does Sai have this other reason, too?"

"As far as I know, he really left the brigade temporarily since he was very busy with assisting Sakura, and that's it. He knows that Sasuke is in the brigade, but he told me that the matter's nothing to him since he doesn't hold anything personal anymore against the Uchiha, so I bet Sai won't have any problem working with him. I just don't know about Sasuke working with Sai, though. I'm sure that man has heard news and knows who Sai really is."

"Then what's your other reason for leaving your brigade?"

Yamato looked at the sea and sighed, "I don't want to do the mission."

"I knew it." Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, "You lazy bum."

"It's not that I'm lazy, Kakashi." Yamato stared at his former Anbu teammate, "Would **you** want to do the mission?"

"I won't do it either if I was asked to join. Good thing, I wasn't." Kakashi stared at the skies, "Your brigade is captain-less. What are they gonna do now?"

"Do I have a choice?" Yamato smiled, "Who do you think would be willing enough to do the mission and lead the brigade along the way?"

"You seem pretty confident that **he** would be willing to take your post as captain and lead your brigade in the mission. What if he won't do it?"

"Don't play around with me, Kakashi. **He**'s your student! And here I thought you knew how **his** brain worked! **He** has something personal to do with the mission, and I'm sure of it. I'm sure you know about **his** personal intentions, correct?" Yamato stated.

"Knowing him, then there's no doubt **he** would accept the mission and be the captain of the brigade." Kakashi replied.

"Trust me, **he** would. Even if the mission would take some time… and even if there's a high possibility that **he** would get killed or **he** won't be able to return to Konoha." Yamato concluded, "But then again, **he**, the prodigy, Uchiha Sasuke, would be the best choice for the mission, right? That's why Tsunade chose my brigade. She knows that Sasuke's strong personal intentions would increase the mission's success rate."

"You think Sakura would be happy about this? The mission would start as soon as her inauguration as Rokudaime Hokage." Kakashi asked, "You think she would give support to this mission, with Sasuke in it? Know that Sakura has something negatively personal with Sasuke. Didn't you think that **that** would sink down the mission's success rate, too?"

"It might not be the best choice for me to leave my brigade but I don't want to do the mission, Kakashi." Yamato eyed Kakashi sternly, "Because if I did, then I know Sasuke won't be too cooperative. If you think he really lost his attitude problems, think again. He still hadn't lost it."

Kakashi was quite taken back with that statement, _"What in the world is Yamato saying?"_

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Kakashi continues to convince Yamato not to leave his brigade and join the S-rank mission Tsunade had secretly planned for the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade before she leaves her seat as Hokage. Meanwhile, Naruto visits Sakura in the Mizukage's hotel suite, saying that he will be Sai's proxy. Naruto says Tsunade had summoned Sai to her office because he was going to do a short Elite Anbu mission. Sakura tells Naruto that that's not possible because Sai had already submitted his temporary leave papers. Nevertheless, Sai reports for duty in the Hokage's office, and guess who his partner is!**

**Coming up next: _Hidden Despise_**

"_**I expect that this simple Anbu mission would be accomplished smoothly, that is, without any teamwork problem."**_  
**- Tsunade**

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**_A/N:_ Weehee! Just who is the target of Tsunade's planned S-rank mission for the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade? Well, if you would continue reading, you would know!**

**Yup, Yamato's real name is Tenzou! I found that out in the manga when Kakashi called Yamato, 'Tenzou'! And then Yamato insisted that Kakashi should just call him 'Yamato', and not 'Tenzou'. Believe it or not, Yamato and Kakashi were former teammates in an Anbu Brigade for real! So no wonder they're so close! Oh yeah, Kakashi is Yamato's sempai (colleague-mentor). :P**

**Reviews are highly appreciated!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	78. Hidden Despise

**_AUTHOR'S APOLOGIES!_ Sorry for the late update! T.T I got sick lately, huhuhu… and I've been very busy with school, so, you know…**

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**_UPDATES!_ Yes! I finally finished Chapter 84, in which, I introduced a new character, who will be Sai's new love interest. GASP! SP0ILERRR!!! Hehehehehe….**

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**_ADVERTISEMENT!_ Calling all NejiTen fans out there! I have translated my Filipino NejiTen fic, _Tumatakbo_! And I had it posted last November 13, I think? Oh well, all I could just say is for you fellas to read it! It's entitled _Tumatakbo: Translation_. PLEASE READ IT :-)**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"You think Sakura would be happy about this? The mission would start as soon as her inauguration as Rokudaime Hokage." Kakashi asked, "You think she would give support to this mission, with Sasuke in it? Know that Sakura has something negatively personal with Sasuke. Didn't you think that **that** would sink down the mission's success rate, too?"

"It might not be the best choice for me to leave my brigade but I don't want to do the mission, Kakashi." Yamato eyed Kakashi sternly, "Because if I did, then I know Sasuke won't be too cooperative. If you think he really lost his attitude problems, think again. He still hadn't lost it."

Kakashi was quite taken back with that statement, _"What in the world is Yamato saying?"_

**(Chapter 78 – Hidden Despise)**

"Hey! Now I remember you! I thought I saw you somewhere else!" Shio exclaimed as Sakura and Sai were helping Kashime and Shio fix their stuff in their presidential hotel suite.

"Eh? What do you mean Shio?" Kashime asked as she zipped her empty bag and dragged it to a corner of the room.

Shio looked at Sai, "You were with us, right? The Hyuga couple, that old guy and you! We traveled together to Sunagakure to get a cure, right?"

Sai thought for a while and smiled, "Ah yes, now I remember you, as well."

Then, somebody knocked on the door.

Sakura, who came from the kitchen, made her way to the door. She swung the door open and saw a grinning Naruto.

"Neh, Sakura-chan, is Sai there?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, why?" Sakura replied.

"Tsunade-baachan told me to replace him for a while. She said he'll be sent immediately on a short mission today, so while he's away, I'll be your assistant!"

"Mission? What mission?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Hmmm, I don't know." Naruto shrugged his shoulders, "But Tsunade-baachan did mention that he'll be doing something with his teammate in his Elite Anbu Squad. It might just be a simple Elite Anbu mission."

"Well, if it's so simple, why didn't she just ask somebody else? Sai had already submitted his temporary leave papers to the Anbu Headquarters and Tsunade-sama had already approved it."

"I heard that most of the Anbus are out of town to do a mission. The remaining few are doing paperwork in the Headquarters." Naruto answered, "Neh Sakura, I still need to go home after this! Hinata-chan is asking me to buy her a pistachio cake, ripe oranges, mangoes, strawberries, cherries, apples, and grapes. She's been craving stuff again! I told her I'll be back in 3 hours since I was asked to do this!"

"Oh, is that so?" Sakura smiled, "SAI!"

"What do you want, ugly?" Sai responded as he jogged towards her.

And because he called her ugly, he received a square punch on the cheek from Sakura.

"When will you ever learn?" Sakura sighed, "Naruto said he'll be my assistant for a while. Tsunade-sama wants you to do a simple Anbu mission with a teammate from your brigade. Report to the Hokage Tower immediately."

"Eh? But I already filed and completed my temporary leave papers!" Sai whined.

"Just stop ranting and go!" a vein popped out of Sakura's head, "I don't want to argue with you in the Mizukage's suite, of all places!"

"Okay, okay! I'm going! Geez, you don't have to push me around, ugly." And Sai disappeared within a flash.

"WHY THAT…! THAT…! **THAT…!**" Sakura's eyes burned with fury, "ARRRRGH!!!"

"Sakura-chan, you don't have to be that angry! After all, Sai was your ex, right?" Naruto sheepishly grinned, "Maybe he's just going back to his old habits to forget about you, so you don't have to be so harsh on him. He might end up bashing his own head on the wall to completely forget about you and everything that had happened in between you two."

Sakura blinked, "Naruto… that's pretty deep. All of a sudden you sounded so… so… smart!"

"What!" Naruto crossed his arms, "Sheesh, it doesn't mean that you were more favored to take the rank I so dreamed of that you have to underestimate my intellectual capacity! I still make the right mistakes!"

Sakura smacked her head with her palm, "What the hell is a right mistake, Naruto?"

"Erm…" Naruto scratched his cheek and grinned, "I don't know?"

Somewhere else in Konoha…

"Don't play stupid, Kakashi. You know very well what I'm talking about." Yamato said through gritted teeth, "That's why Tsunade gave the mission to my brigade! You know who we're about to hunt down! And knowing that Sasuke is very much holding something personal against the person we're supposed to take down, I cannot trust my patience in it. Sasuke gets what he wants, and you know that."

"Oh?" Kakashi sighed, "Sasuke gets what he wants?"

"Yes!" Yamato nodded, "Exactly!"

"But how come he couldn't get what his heart wanted?" Kakashi raised the question with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"Impossible! Sasuke and Sakura have been-"

"Haven't you been in love?" Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, "Sakura accepted her fate to be the Rokudaime Hokage so that she can diverge from her personal intentions. She has chosen to drown herself with work so she could easily forget about Sasuke. Sasuke is still the stoic quiet type. He won't tell you what he's thinking of, nor what he feels."

At that, Yamato was silenced.

"Tenzou, why are you lecturing me about this? Shouldn't **I** be the one lecturing **you**? I'm your sempai, remember?" Kakashi started walking away, "Oh and by the way… I do know Sasuke pretty well. Leaving him to lead your brigade… Yamato, you're just going to get him and your brigade killed. So think twice about leaving your brigade with him if you don't want to feel guilty about some people. I tell you, Sasuke will follow your every order."

In the Hokage Tower…

"I expect that this simple Anbu mission would be accomplished smoothly, that is, without any teamwork problem. I mean, there are only the two of you who are going to work on this mission, so that should be no problem." Tsunade informed an Anbu.

This Anbu was wearing the usual Anbu Black Robe; the silver hem on the hood of his robe signifies that he is a member of one of the Elite Anbu brigades. His hood was on his head, and the mask was on his face.

A knock was heard on the Godaime's office door.

"That must be the one you're going to work with." Tsunade eyed the Anbu before eyeing the door, "Come in!"

And in came Sai, closing the door behind him gently and bowed before the Godaime and then stood up straight, with his genuine fake smile plastered on his face.

"Well, am I late?" Sai asked, all the while scratching the back of his ear.

"Actually, yes! You're an hour late! Hmm, maybe it's that Naruto's fault. Maybe he dropped by Ichiraku before heading to the Mizukage's suite to inform you that I have summoned you. Anyway, never mind. I shouldn't have asked you to do a mission as simple as this, but all the Anbus are busy, so I have no other choice, do forgive me for this. But I promise you, this mission won't take long. Ah and, I have heard that the new Mizukage is Haruno Kashime, Sakura's cousin." Tsunade grinned back at her student's assistant, and well, her student's secret ex-boyfriend.

Sai just widened his smile a bit as a sign of 'yes'.

"Let's cut to the chase, shall we?" Tsunade motioned her left hand, pointing to the Elite Anbu on Sai's right, "There should be no problems with teamwork here, I suppose. Both of you are from the 7th Elite Anbu Brigade, anyway. So I suppose you know each other already."

Sai answered, "Well, I know almost everyone in Konoha since your student has been dragging me everywhere, Tsunade-sama. So what difference would it make to this guy over here?"

"Well then, Sai, with that said," Tsunade straightened her face, "you're actually going to work with this man over here. And his name is Uchiha Sasuke. I know you're quite familiar with him. It's hard not to hear about him!"

"_Oh, shit."_ Sai slapped himself mentally, _"Of all people, why did it have to be **him**?"_

Sai actually had troubles holding up his fake smile at that very moment, as this man beside him, was actually his heart's rival, to whom he surrendered to – Uchiha Sasuke.

Sure, teamwork was no problem – as long as it pertains to the whole brigade. But teamwork between Sai and Sasuke?

It looks like the world will be in turmoil. Well, for Sai, at least.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sai is forced to team up with Uchiha Sasuke. Although he claims that he doesn't have any problem working with Sasuke, he might as well take that back as cooperative, and attitude problems ensue.**

**Homebound, Chapter 79: _Teamwork_**

"… _**I didn't say anything about you being a homosexual, and if you were going to molest me, I would have beaten you up, torn you into pieces, and feed you to the lions."**_  
**-Uchiha Sasuke**

**_A/N:_ Hahahaha! Yeah, that line was a little humorous, neh? Well, that idea came across my mind whenever I talk to someone online regarding Sai, and the conversation often lands on what Sai was wearing. And that belly shirt really does make him look gay, but in my say, that belly shirt makes him look quite appealing and masculine too.**

**Well, enough about that! Wait, what the hell…? Sai, what are you doing here?**

**Sai: So you have a crush on me now?  
Releina: -blushes- Whaaaaaaat?  
Sai: That blush says so.  
Releina: -hands cover up blushing cheeks- These are not for you, jerk!  
Sai: Then for who?  
Releina: They're for Neji-sama!!! –eyes sparkle with hearts-  
Sai: But in this fic, he's already married.  
Releina: -sighs-  
Sai: Eh? Why are you so down?  
Releina: -lands a square punch on Sai's face- SHANNARO!!!  
Sai: -flies away due to impact-**

**Ooops! Uhm… Uh…**

**-holds a placard saying, "Review please!"- XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	79. Teamwork

**_AUTHOR'S APOLOGIES:_ Sorry for another late update! I'm really busy with school… But I guess there should be no problem within this week since I'll attend school for two more days and both days are going to be on half-day and no academics schedule! Weee! And then Christmas vacation! WEEEE!!! VACATION AT LAST!**

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**_UPDATES:_ I have finished Chapter 85! Now, how to start Chapter 86…**

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_**ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! ALERT! READ IT!**_

**RELEINA ARTEMIS IS CURRENTLY WRITING A LONG SASUSAKU ONESHOT! Yes people, I would be releasing the oneshot on December 24 (hopefully). The title is _Carol of the Bells_. The oneshot is inspired by a classical Christmas song of the same title. I have an acoustic track of that song, and the song sounded so desperate, sad, yet hopeful. So the idea came into mind. _Carol of the Bells_ will be my FIRST EVER Christmas special. So I hope y'all watch out for it. Mark your calendars: December 24. :D Remember! _Carol of the Bells_, a long SasuSaku oneshot, my Christmas special for all SasuSaku fans.**

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**_ADVERTISEMENT:_ I have released a SasuSaku oneshot entitled _A Weird Crave for Veggies_. This is actually a granted request fic by one of Homebound's faithful readers: Nhix. This is my first time to grant a request fic. :P I hope y'all read it!**

**Without any further ado…**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Well then, Sai, with that said," Tsunade straightened her face, "you're actually going to work with this man over here. And his name is Uchiha Sasuke. I know you're quite familiar with him. It's hard not to hear about him!"

"_Oh, shit."_ Sai slapped himself mentally, _"Of all people, why did it have to be **him**?"_

Sai actually had troubles holding up his fake smile at that very moment, as this man beside him, was actually his heart's rival, to whom he surrendered to – Uchiha Sasuke.

Sure, teamwork was no problem – as long as it pertains to the whole brigade. But teamwork between Sai and Sasuke?

It looks like the world will be in turmoil. Well, for Sai, at least.

**(Chapter 79 – Teamwork)**

"Any problem?" Tsunade shrugged and looked at them.

Sai fixed his smile and replied, "Absolutely none, Tsunade-sama!"

"Well, then, that's good to hear. How about you, Sasuke? Do you think you'll have any problems working with Sai?"

"None." Sasuke replied.

The Godaime sighed in relief and replied, "The night before yesterday, a carriage from the neighboring town was sent to Konoha to deliver some documents of mission requests for the genin teams to accomplish. The horse of the carriage got a little disturbed when and old branch of a tree fell of in front of it and it just went berserk. The horse ran uncontrollably, until the jounin that was supposed to keep the horse in control was knocked out due to the severe whiplashes. These whiplashes were caused by the horse's speeding up and sudden halts to leap over boulders and knocked-down trunks of trees along the way."

"The horse got away from its ropes and supposedly, ran off somewhere, but that's not our main concern. The jounin's unconscious body was tossed off the carriage because of loss of equilibrium. Yesterday morning, the Anbus who were doing rounds found that jounin. They took him to the hospital and the medic team was able to revive him. The Anbus who found him were still there to ask what had happened and the jounin frantically told them what happened. He asked where the carriage was and the Anbus said they didn't see any carriage. When the Anbus returned to the scene, they looked over the cliff and found the carriage down below. They estimated that the depth of the cliff was 300 meters. And since these were very important documents, it's the Elite Anbus' job to retrieve them."

Tsunade took out a map and said, "Those Anbus provided me with a map. The red lines there indicate the path you should take in order to get to the scene. Now here's what I want you to do: team up together and get the documents from the carriage. It's up to the two of you to work on a strategy on how to get the documents. But you should do this with caution. A cliff 300 meters deep is not a joke. So, good luck. You should start this mission immediately."

The two bowed, "As you wish."

"Oh and by the way Sasuke," Tsunade remarked, "before you run along with the mission, you seriously need to change your clothes. Your uniform might get in the way."

"Well, how about me, Tsunade-sama?" Sai asked, "Should I go change, too?"

Tsunade giggled, "You developed a little bit of humor from my student, neh? With what you're wearing? Of course not! You might even fish some girls with that!"

A little later…

"You don't need to accompany me." Sasuke said monotonously as he heads towards the Uchiha compound.

"Oh? But we're going to be a team today! And don't worry about it, I'm not gay, so I'm not going to molest you or something. Do you feel uncomfortable with me?" Sai smiled.

"For your information, we're not a team; we're a duo, since we're only talking about 2 people in number." Sasuke stopped as he set foot on the Uchiha compound, and faced Sai, "And I didn't say anything about you being a homosexual, and if you were going to molest me, I would have beaten you up, torn you into pieces, and feed you to the lions. Last but not least, with that kind of naïve humor, yes, I do feel uncomfortable with you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be back in a short while to change my clothes. You should just wait here."

And without another word, Sasuke turned on his heel and walked towards his house.

"_Gee, how could that ugly hag love this arrogant bastard?"_ Sai thought to himself.

Meanwhile…

Sakura sneezed all of a sudden. **(_A/N:_ I dunno with you guys, but in Filipino superstitions, whenever you sneeze, somebody's talking about you, or thinking about you, either negatively or positively.)**

The upcoming Rokudaime squeezed and wiggled her nose to get rid of the tingling irritation in her nostrils.

"Got a cold?" Kashime asked. She was now dressed in a baggy royal blue shirt and a pair of beige khaki pants.

"Nope, none at all." Sakura smiled as she sat down beside Kashime on the bed.

"Maybe somebody thought about you." Kashime nudged Sakura, "Got an admirer neh?"

"Shut up, Kashime!" a vein protruded out of Sakura's temple.

Kashime looked at Sakura's clothing, "Well, with what you're wearing? The Rokudaime actually looks like a goddess!"

"What the…?" Sakura reached for a pillow and threw it at Kashime, "Go get some sleep, Mizukage-**sama**!"

"Yeah, yeah, right, whatever." Kashime stuck her tongue out at Sakura, "Gee, I can't believe I'm getting married in five months!"

"Oh yeah, how did you and Shio ended up together again?" Sakura queried.

"Let's just say I've already loved him at the very first time I saw him, and that was when we were still kids. And then we became teammates, and then lovers, and then we broke up… until recently, after you were returned to Konoha, we were back together again, and just before I was inaugurated as the Mizukage, he proposed marriage to me! Isn't that wonderful?! My first crush, my first love, my first kiss, and my first boyfriend would actually become my husband!" Kashime explained with stars sparkling in her eyes, and in an unusually Ino-like way, so Sakura thought.

"You mean your first husband. Sooner or later, you'll be going after another!"

"What! I'm never gonna leave my Shio-kuuuuuuuuun, because I'm very much head over heels for him!"

"And you're treating him like he's your slave? Oh yeah, how sweet of you." Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Newsflash, Rokudaime-san! He is not my slave! He is my bodyguard!"

"Haha, go tell that to your pillow. Now go to sleep, Kashime, before you start telling me how telephones work, sheesh!" Sakura stood up and shrugged her shoulders.

Back to Sasuke and Sai, after a couple of hours later…

Sai crouched down over the cliff and threw a rock down below.

"Oh boy." Sai looked down the cliff, "That's some pretty serious depth, alright."

Sasuke looked over the cliff and said, "Obviously, since the Godaime said that this must be 300 meters in depth. Can you see the carriage?"

"Hey, the fog's thick down there, I can't see anything!"

"So how are **you** going to get those documents?"

"Uhm, excuse me, but I want to stand corrected. I bet you meant, 'How are **we** going to get those documents'… Hey man, where's the essence of being a duo here?" Sai smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, so let's say **we** are going to get those documents."

"Right, right! Now that's the spirit!" Sai nodded as he looked back down the cliff.

"So tell me, genius, where in the world are **we** going to get a rope with **that** length?" Sasuke pointed down below.

Sai looked and scratched his head, "I don't know, in your dreams, maybe?"

Sasuke shook his head and sighed, irritated, _"Stupid."_

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Naruto asks Sakura about her true relationship with Sai. Meanwhile, Sai shares his idea with Sasuke on how to retrieve the documents, but he was going to need his cooperation. Sasuke complies. However, as Sai was at the cliff's floor to retrieve the documents, Sasuke gets trapped in a loop of flashbacks regarding Sai. And knowing that Sakura had loved Sai easily and less painfully than she had loved Sasuke, he gets enraged and eventually "turns his back" on Sai.**

**See the evil resurface: _Envy and Fury_**

"_**Sheesh! I wonder how that bastard Sai copes up with this kind of job!"**_  
**-Uzumaki Naruto**

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**_A/N:_ Hehe, so how's the Sasuke and Sai partnership gonna work out, eh? You should read on to the next chapter! It's pretty interesting, I promise!**

**I'd like to hear from you fellas. So go ahead, don't be shy and review. XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	80. Envy and Fury

**_ADVERTISEMENT:_ Please read my Christmas 2006 Special! It's entitled _Carol of the Bells_, and it's a SasuSaku oneshot. A story full of desperation, sorrow, hope, and romance. Please read it, okay?**

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**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ WOW! This is Homebound's second Christmas! Amazing! Hehehehe! **

**MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!!!**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Uhm, excuse me, but I want to stand corrected. I bet you meant, 'How are **we** going to get those documents'… Hey man, where's the essence of being a duo here?" Sai smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, so let's say **we** are going to get those documents."

"Right, right! Now that's the spirit!" Sai nodded as he looked back down the cliff.

"So tell me, genius, where in the world are **we** going to get a rope with **that** length?" Sasuke pointed down below.

Sai looked and scratched his head, "I don't know, in your dreams, maybe?"

Sasuke shook his head and sighed, irritated, _"Stupid."_

**(Chapter 80 – Envy and Fury)**

"Hmm…" Sai rubbed the tip of his chin, "Okay, how about this."

"Got an idea? It better not be as stupid as the first one." Sasuke mocked.

"Ouch, that's a low blow! Anyway, I'll disregard that, knowing that you've got quite an attitude problem… Hey, don't take that seriously, okay?" Sai smiled, "Well anyway, I know that you're quite good with Katon ninjutsus… so, if heat hits the thick fog below, maybe it'll go away, and then I can use my Ninpou: Chojuu Giga to fly down below and get the documents." **(Katon Fire Release), (Ninpou: Chojuu Giga Ninja Art: Super Beasts Imitation Picture)**

"It's not a very brilliant idea, but it's worth a try." Sasuke shrugged his shoulders, "But why not just fly down below without clearing the fogs?"

"Well, fogs are a form of moisture. My Ninpou: Chojuu Giga only brings to life the animals I drew, but still, even if my drawings are brought to life, they're still made of ink. So if I'll draw a huge bird and fly down below with the fogs still existing, then the bird will dissipate and I'll… well, it all ends for me if I can't save myself after such a coincidence."

"Fine, let's get this over with."

Meanwhile…

Naruto and Sakura were walking down the streets after leaving the Konoha Hotel, and now heading their way to the Hokage Tower.

"I'm hungry…" Naruto whined while carrying a pile of papers alongside Sakura who was carrying a clipboard on the left hand and on her right hand was a notebook with a pen attached to it.

"Heh, you whine, too?" Sakura eyed Naruto who was walking timidly, "Sai does that, too."

"Well, I still have to visit the bakeshop and the fruit stands to satisfy Hinata-chan's cravings… Neh neh Sakura-chan…"

"What?"

"Do you still like Sai?"

Sakura stared at her feet and said, "No."

"Honestly."

"That's the truth! Sai and I are just friends!"

"Oh, okay then." Naruto smiled, "I just thought, you know… the two of you got back together again or something like that."

"Nope, and we won't ever be together in a serious relationship ever again." Sakura thought for a minute and asked Naruto, "Why'd you ask?"

He chuckled, "Nothing…"

Sakura blinked and dismissed the curiosity running about her head. She looked at her schedule attached on her clipboard and just realized that it was time for her part-time duty in the Konoha Hospital. She started pacing up, and walking past Naruto; running is going to be a hassle, since she was wearing heels.

Poor Naruto who couldn't run because of the papers he was carrying, started shouting out when Sakura was already a few meters away from him, "Oi Sakura-chan! Where are you going?"

"It's time for my duty in the Konoha Hospital! Take those papers to my office in the Hokage Tower, thank you! Oh, and afterwards you can go and do your little shopping!" Sakura shouted and continued speed walking.

Naruto sighed and mumbled, "Sheesh! I wonder how that bastard Sai copes up with this kind of job!"

Back to the 'duo'…

Sai had brought out his weapons: his paintbrush, ink bottle, and a scroll. And on the scroll, he was drawing a huge bird.

"Done?" Sasuke asked impatiently.

"Not yet, just a little bit more…" the artist replied, "We have to do the two jutsus simultaneously, so just stay put for a little while… Oh never mind, here! It's done!"

Sai smiled at his work, while Sasuke… well, no reaction at all, just the usual emotionless face. Sai set his paintbrush and ink bottle aside and set his hands on the primary handseal of his jutsu.

"Okay, let's do this!" Sai said.

Sasuke and Sai made their handseals. The huge bird on Sai's scroll crawled out of the paper and flapped its wings in midair and started growing bigger, while Sasuke used his Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu to clear out the thick fog below. **(Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)**

Sai hopped on the huge bird's back and swooped down the cliff at breakneck speed. Just as the black fowl was nearing the ground, it flapped its broad wings a few times backwards, as dust spirals the ground below the creature. When the fowl finally regained control of its sudden halt, it landed on its feet perfectly.

Sai leapt from the back of the bird and onto the sandy grounds of the cliff, where only little light from the sun illuminated the area. He looked to his left and to his right, searching for the said carriage in this mission.

After walking for a few meters, Sai found the carriage and ran towards it. The carriage was already severely damaged – its wheels have been snapped in half, planks of wood were scattered around the area where it landed, and the remainder of the carriage was already half-buried in the sand.

Sasuke couldn't see what was going on, since he was quite far from his teammate – 300 meters apart, approximately.

"… _I ADMIT, SAI WAS MY BOYFRIEND BACK THEN!"_ Sakura's confession to Ino and Naruto, when she was in the hospital, rang in Sasuke's ears.

This made Sasuke's eyes twitch.

"… _SAI WAS MY BOYFRIEND BACK THEN!"_ And again.

"… _What's wrong if he was my boyfriend?" _And another one…

"_He's kind anyway… just a little bit of a jerk, but that's okay. He wears it off, nevertheless."_ And another one…

"… _My assistant will be Sai and the third advisor will be Yamato."_

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

"Do you know Sai?" Yamato asked, "Well, do you know?"

"He was my replacement in Team Kakashi when I was gone from Konoha 4 years ago."

"Right you are." Yamato smiled, "Now, do you know me?"

"You were the replacement for Hatake Kakashi in our team."

"Now, that wasn't too hard of a question, neh?" Yamato nodded, "So knowing me quite a bit, I expect that we won't have any problems because in some way, we have been teammates. I hope you won't be a rebel anymore and you will agree to follow my orders. It's not so hard to do, you know… as long as there is cooperation. Do you understand, Mr. Uchiha?"

"Yes, Sir." Sasuke answered.

"Great!" Yamato grinned, "You can just call me Yamato. Welcome to the squad, Uchiha Sasuke."

* * *

"Oh and by the way Sasuke," Tsunade remarked, "before you run along with the mission, you seriously need to change your clothes. Your uniform might get in the way."

"Well, how about me, Tsunade-sama?" Sai asked, "Should I go change, too?"

Tsunade giggled, "You developed a little bit of humor from my student, neh? With what you're wearing? Of course not! You might even fish some girls with that!"

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

Sasuke's fists were trembling, he was gnashing his teeth, and without him knowing it, his Sharingan was activated.

"_What does he have that I don't?!"_ Sasuke thought, _"Why do they prefer this… this birdbrain instead of I?! How come Sakura became so close to him in such a unique way?! What can he do that I can't?! HOW IS HE, BETTER THAN I?!"_

Sasuke couldn't control the swirling anger building up inside him. It was true, isn't it? Why does it seem like Sakura likes Sai better than he, when after all, she had loved Sasuke better than Sai? How was that even possible?!

Sasuke, **the** Uchiha Sasuke, was very much indeed, jealous.

Meanwhile, down below, Sai found a piece of buried sackcloth and started digging out the sand from where the sackcloth was found. And there, he found the bag full of scrolls and folders. He dusted off the bag and smiled eagerly and shouted, "Heh! I found it!"

With that, Sai walked back to where his creation, the huge black bird, could be. He hopped on the back of the bird, and the creature started flapping its huge wings, and started to gain momentum, until it was now flying back up.

And then, Sai's eyes narrowed – the fogs where starting to form again.

"Sasuke, do a Katon ninjutsu now!" Sai shouted back to his teammate who was dazed in fury.

Sai was nearing the fogs…

"SASUKE!" Sai shouted once more, but he swore he saw his teammate's eyes burning fury of the Sharingan.

"Die…" Sasuke whispered as he took out a kunai and precisely threw it where Sai was heading.

The bird passed through the fog formation and immediately melted away, returning to how it was before – plain black ink.

Sai's eyes narrowed even more, if that was even possible, as he noticed that a kunai was hurled through the fogs. He tried to evade it in midair while he was in a freefall, but to no avail. The kunai had pierced his flesh, and gravity was still pulling down on him.

Sasuke couldn't see where Sai was anymore, but he smirked… an evil smirk, if you may, as a large thud echoed into the air. And that thud was made by a body-to-ground impact.

So he assured to himself that Sai was dead.

… Having that in mind, Sasuke's smirk progressed into a proud, but small chuckle.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**(Intended cliffhanger with no teasers. Hehehehehe!)**

**Coming up next:** **_Scapegoat_**

"_**Hey, I feel really, really sick."**_  
**-Hyuga Tenten**

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**_A/N:_ Muahahahahahaha! Yes, I'm leaving no teasers for you guys in this chapter:P That cliffhanger will suffice! So you all have no choice but to wait and read the next chapter! Nyahahahahaha!**

**So, this chapter is merry, neh? A perfect chapter for Homebound's second Christmas:P**

**Okay, I'll shut up now.**

**Please review! XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	81. Scapegoat

**_AUTHOR'S NOTES:_ HOMEBOUND'S SECOND NEW YEAR! W00T!**

**Also, I wanna thank everybody who's still reading this fic! Look at the counter go! 1300+ reviews!!! Wo0t! Please don't stop supporting Homebound!!! I love you fellas! XP**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"SASUKE!" Sai shouted once more, but he swore he saw his teammate's eyes burning fury of the Sharingan.

"Die…" Sasuke whispered as he took out a kunai and precisely threw it where Sai was heading.

The bird passed through the fog formation and immediately melted away, returning to how it was before – plain black ink.

Sai's eyes narrowed even more, if that was even possible, as he noticed that a kunai was hurled through the fogs. He tried to evade it in midair while he was in a freefall, but to no avail. The kunai had pierced his flesh, and gravity was still pulling down on him.

Sasuke couldn't see where Sai was anymore, but he smirked… an evil smirk, if you may, as a large thud echoed into the air. And that thud was made by a body-to-ground impact.

So he assured to himself that Sai was dead.

… Having that in mind, Sasuke's smirk progressed into a proud, but small chuckle.

**(Chapter 81 – Scapegoat)**

But without Sasuke knowing the truth…

Sai coughed as the smoke of dust was clearing around him gradually, spat out a bit of blood, and winced in pain as he felt pain somewhere in his bare abdomen – he might have broken a bone from his fall there.

Sai held on to a protruding rock on the cliff with his right hand, which was flowing with chakra. Several scratches, cuts, abrasions, and bruises were evident on his body due to the falling debris, as gravity pulled him earlier.

And on his left hand, he firmly held the neck of the tied sackcloth, where the documents rest the safest. The kunai Sasuke had hurled towards him ended up on his left thigh.

He closed his eyes and tried to regain control of his situation right there. He also tried to catch his breath in the meanwhile.

"_What was he thinking?"_ Sai thought, _"What wrong did I do to him that made him want to kill me?"_

Sai then remembered seeing Sasuke's Sharingan earlier, and the look on his face… he was deadly, seriously, enraged.

And it was then when Sai hit the answer in his mind and sighed in disbelief, _"Man, this is bad."_

Mustering his remaining strength, he pulled himself up and gathered chakra onto his feet and literally, walked on the cliff, defying gravity to pull him from the cliff.

"_Now I know why he did all that to me…"_ Sai told himself, _"He wants Sakura back badly, and he thinks that I pose as a threat to him."_

Sai stopped as he was in front of the thick fog. His chakra was getting weaker by the moment. He couldn't pass through this part of the cliff since the rocks there are now slippery thanks to the fog.

What was he to do now?

He's mostly halfway up! He certainly couldn't give up now, could he?

He gathered up his chakra and his strength simultaneously on his left hand and threw the sackcloth bag with all his might back up to where Sasuke was standing.

* * *

Sasuke was alarmed when a bag landed a few feet from his right.

His eyes widened, _"He's still alive?!"_

* * *

Sai was now really getting sleepy – his body was already screaming for help. He was low on energy and on chakra, he was beat up, and he was still stuck there, trying to figure out a way to pass through the thick clouds of fog.

And now he has only one idea – he was going to leap from where he was standing until he reaches the area where the fogs are already nonexistent.

"_That's some shitty idea."_ Sai smacked his forehead, and then removed the kunai which penetrated his thigh, throwing the weapon down to the cliff.

He reached for his holster which contained his art materials, to see if something was going to be useful. But all that was there were three paintbrushes, two ink bottles, six blank scrolls, and a short spare nylon rope he brought from the last Anbu mission he had.

When he took out the rope, he assumed that it was only 3 meters long. He looked ahead and saw that the fog was about 4 or 5 meters thick. That was when it hit him. He now had an 'escape' plan.

Meanwhile…

Sakura was waiting for patients in her office in the Konoha Hospital. She had a medical ninja's hat on her head and a bored look on her face. She opened her drawers to look for anything that would amuse her, but much to her dismay, there were none.

"Excuse me, Haruno-san, you have a patient." A nurse said and opened the door, revealing…

"Ah, Tenten?" Sakura asked with wonder, "Where's your husband?"

Hyuga Tenten entered the upcoming Rokudaime's medical office and sat on a chair near Sakura's desk. She looked… ill.

Tenten sighed deeply and replied, "He's working."

"Does he know you're visiting me today?" Sakura wondered.

"No."

"Does he know you're not feeling well?"

"I deliberately didn't tell him."

"What!" Sakura's eyes widened.

"I don't want Neji to worry." Tenten answered, "Hey, I feel really, really sick."

"Uhm, okay." Sakura moved her rolling chair to where Tenten sat, and placed her hand on Tenten's forehead.

"You're burning." Sakura removed her hand.

Tenten had a strange feeling in her gut, and her hands flew to her mouth.

"Where's the toilet?" Tenten queried, in a squeamish tone.

Sakura blinked for a while and pointed to a door ajar, obliquely across her right.

Tenten bowed and excused herself and ran towards the toilet room and vomited.

The pink-haired kunoichi scratched the back of her ear and blinked, _"Could she be pregnant? But I thought she and Neji aren't planning for a baby yet?"_

Back to Sai…

Sai attached the end of the rope to the hole of a kunai and knotted it nice and tight. He hurled the kunai as strong as he could straight ahead, so as it could reach an area of the cliff where the fogs were nonexistent, and where he could easily spot the rope amidst the fogs.

Sai made sure that he has everything planned and stepped backwards several times. Gathering momentum, he then ran as fast as he could, and leapt. When he reached the thick fogs, while he was still in mid air, he spotted the end of the rope and grabbed it tightly with his right hand. He soon followed the grab with his left hand. When he was sure that he had gripped the rope firmly, he began hoisting himself up.

* * *

Sasuke could see where the rope was, and he planned on taking it out, when…

"What are you afraid of?" a voice from down below shouted to him, "You think killing me would make it easier for you to get **her** back, huh bastard?!"

The Uchiha shouted back, "I knew it! From the first time I saw you in the Konoha Hospital… You were somewhat special to Sakura!"

* * *

**--- FLASHBACK (from Chapter 47) ---**

Yamato and Sai quickly ran towards Sakura's room and were shocked to see that Sakura was different – she seemed bloodthirsty. She was held on the spot by Shikamaru, who had performed his Kage Mane no Jutsu to stop Sakura's attack from killing Sasuke, who also froze on the spot. Sasuke and Sakura's shadow was under Shikamaru's control, but it seems like the 200 I.Q. ninja cannot hold the shadows any longer.

Yamato pinned down Sakura using his own weight against hers.

"Do something!" Yamato exclaimed at Sai.

Sai took out a scroll and a paintbrush and started drawing something.

"Hurry up!" Yamato shouted.

Sai set down the scroll on the floor and he performed handseals, "Ninpou: Chojuu Giga!!!"

Then, the drawing on the scroll, a snake, coiled around Sakura and bound her on the bed, helpless. However, the snake had not fully tied Sakura's legs and she was kicking around… And she had kicked Sai's mask.

Sai's mask dropped down on the floor, shattering into many pieces, for it was made of porcelain.

Sakura seemed to have calmed down at the sight of Sai's face. Sasuke also stared at Sakura's sudden calmness when she saw Sai's face. Sasuke does not know Sai, nor has he met him… or had any idea that it was this man who calmed Sakura down.

Sai smiled, like always and told Sakura, "Hello, Sakura. It's been a while. You've been ugly as ever."

"S-Sa… S-Sa…." Sakura murmured.

Sai placed his hand over Sakura's mouth and said, "You just broke my mask. I'm not letting you blow my identity as an Anbu. Just don't say my name."

When he had lifted up his hand, Sakura closed her eyes and whispered, "You're…annoy…ing…as…ever…"

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

* * *

"And they call you the Uchiha prodigy?" Sai retorted, "Prodigy my ass! I don't think you're a prodigy! You're killing someone's ex-boyfriend so that you could have that someone back? You think that's an easy way to claim her back? She's not a toy, damn it! Stop being so paranoid and wake up to reality! Had it never occurred in your mind that once Sakura finds out that you killed me, she's really not going to forgive you?"

Sasuke's eyes returned to their onyx state and looked at Sai who had emerged from the fogs and reached the kunai where the rope was tied.

"You think… I'm a threat to you?" Sai panted, as he focused his remaining chakra back to his feet and was able to defy gravity again by standing on the walls of the cliff and started walking back up.

"I knew it! You would know about what Sakura and I had in between in no time at all." Sai smiled, amidst being so tired, disappointed, enraged, and beat up, "If you want her back, then go get her."

Sasuke eyed him and he was quite confused, _"What in the world is he saying? Isn't he and Sakura…?"_

"Let me guess, you did all these to me because you thought I've been hitting on Sakura again?" Sai eyed Sasuke seriously, "Hey asshole, listen well so I can ease up your fucking attitude: Sakura and I have long been over."

Sai finally reached the tip of the cliff and was able to plant his feet on safer grounds.

"I couldn't fight against you, you know that?" Sai told Sasuke coolly, "You were her first love, and even though she hates to admit it, I know… She still loves you. If she happened to know that I hurt you, the way she would treat me will change, so I can't risk our friendship, that's why I can't have the guts to beat you up, although right now, I really want to. So don't go up against me, accusing me for being a threat to her. She's not mine, and I know that… that… she's rightfully yours."

Sai scratched his head and chuckled a bit, "Now, all these shit because of that ugly hag?"

Sasuke felt guilty. Sai made a point – he took a beating just because Sasuke wanted Sakura back so badly? That seemed pathetic. And there, Sai says that he gave up on Sakura.

"You don't need to apologize. I understand your situation… and if I were in your shoes, I might have done the same thing." Sai concluded, "If you're really that desperate to have her back then why not approach her? If she's going to reject you, then try and try again. I'm sure she'll say yes eventually. She loves you so much, I can tell."

Sasuke pounded his fists on the ground, "I don't know what's happening to me…"

Sai smiled, "Hehe, I've been there, pal… Yes, love does make you stupid, paranoid, addicted, nostalgic, and desperate, all at the same time. I get it!"

And after a few moments of silence…

"Hey, can we go back to the village now? My body kinda aches, you know." Sai suddenly blurted out, "Man, I took a temporary leave from all the Elite Anbu troubles! But I still get this! Sheesh… If I hid from trouble, trouble never fails to find me! What a lousy life this is!"

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sakura finds out that Tenten really was pregnant. But what's this? Why isn't Tenten happy that she's bearing Neji's child? Meanwhile, Sasuke reports to the Godaime Hokage. Tsunade questions him on Sai's absence, and immediately finds out the reason, thus, failing the Uchiha in the mission and passing Sai. However, she once again finds the heart to forgive him, but for something in exchange. What is Tsunade up to?**

**Serving it up: _Inducing_**

"_**Since Sai had been promoted as the upcoming Rokudaime's administrative assistant, we can say that you attacked an official. In case you don't know, with Sai's position right now, he's actually your superior."**_  
**-Tsunade**

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**_A/N:_ Hahaha! There goes the foul-mouthed Sai! XD**

**Boo-hoo! What a bummer! I'm going back to school on January 3. :( So that means I might be too busy to update, just like some instances before.**

**Anyway…**

**Ooh… What is Tsunade up to again? Could this be related to the rumored S-rank mission Tsunade has been planning before she leaves her seat as Hokage? Hmm…**

**I won't be telling you anything, so you have to read on!**

**R-E-V-I-E-W! What does that spell?**

**I don't know! Maybe REVIEW! XD**

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**H A P P Y . N E W . Y E A R !**

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**+Releina Artemis+**


	82. Inducing

**_AUTHOR'S APOLOGIES:_ Sorry for the really, really late update! I actually have my reasons.**

**1)A couple of days after I updated Chapter 81, I had to go back to school and became very busy again.**

**2) I intentionally didn't update when Chapter 81 was already a week old because the chapter's really close to the chapters I last wrote. I didn't update so I could write new chapters, so there would be some reasonable distances in between plotlines, if ever I wanted to change something.**

**3) A few days after that, I broke my right knee AGAIN (but I'm fine now). So I was bedridden for a day. I had to go back to school the day after that because of a couldn't-afford-to-miss report, and the 3rd Quarter Periodical Examinations followed the next three days afterwards.**

**4) I couldn't update after the Exams because I had to pass my make-up assignments and projects, which I missed for the days I was gone for interschool contests, and the days I was gone for getting sick.**

**5) I couldn't update a few days after that, because at the start of the last quarter, the teachers just had to be so mean that they already have to give us nerve-wracking assignments and projects.**

**So there you go. I hope you guys do understand. That's all the reason I have for not updating for a long, long time. SORRY REALLY! I'm still really busy now, but I'm taking this chance to update before I won't be able to update for a long time again. Huhuhu, what's a 15-year-old girl to do?!?  
**

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**_UPDATES!_ I re-edited chapters 83-85, I finally wrote and finished Chapter 86, and I'm halfway through Chapter 87. You thought I wasn't thinking about this fic while I was very busy? Think again! XP  
**

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**(Chapter 82 – Inducing)**

"Let me take a wild guess, Tenten." Sakura eyed Tenten, "The symptoms you're experiencing right now are none other than pregnancy indications."

Tenten's head jerked up and looked at Sakura wide-eyed.

"Tell me; did **'something'** really happen between you and your husband?" Sakura asked, "It's impossible to get pregnant by yourself, and I won't believe you if you say that another man is in your life, Tenten."

"Almost three months ago, y-yes," Tenten blushed, "N-Neji and I-"

"Okay then." Sakura stood up and walked to a medicinal cabinet, took out a box from and gave it to Tenten, "Let's see if you're really pregnant. You see, I can't really diagnose you for anything else without a proof. The instructions are on the box, so please proceed."

Sakura pointed to the bathroom once again with a smile. Tenten nodded and took the box with her, as she proceeded to the bathroom. The box contained a pregnancy test stick.

A few minutes later…

Tenten got out from the bathroom with a straight face. Sakura eyed Tenten and asked, "Well?"

Tenten nodded, "I'm pregnant."

Sakura grinned, "Congratulations!"

Tenten didn't look any happy at all. Sakura noticed this and queried, "Aren't you happy?"

"N-no, it's just that…" Tenten sighed, "It's just… how am I going to tell Neji? I mean, I didn't expect that I was going to get pregnant, a-and I might not be able to take care of myself, so what about the child?"

"Don't make me tell Neji that you're pregnant. The news should come from **you**." Sakura pointed out, "Well, you should have no legal problems about the child, since you're married to its father anyway. Oh yeah, do you still feel sick?"

"Of course."

"Is it going to be okay if I'll assign you to an obstetric-gynecologist? You see, I won't be able to assist you throughout your pregnancy, but an obstetric-gynecologist can, the only help I could give you right now are primary medications for your first trimester problems."

"Yeah, I'm going to be fine." Tenten nodded, and finally, smiled.

"So you're having nausea, morning sickness… common problems of pregnant women in their first trimester. Cravings and mood swings will surface later." Sakura wrote something down on a paper, "So, I'm only giving you medication good for a week. Afterwards, you have to consult an obstetric-gynecologist for further guidance throughout the trimesters."

Sakura tore the sheet of paper from its binder and gave it to Tenten, "Please give that to the pharmacist, just near the hospital's receiving desk. Oh and, please do tell your husband about this matter, okay? Phone me up for any news."

Tenten nodded and smiled, "Thank you so much, Sakura. I will tell Neji about this matter... Well, I will **try** to tell him…"

"Good!" Sakura opened the door for Tenten and said, "Okay then, run along now. Take care!"

With that, Tenten left and Sakura closed the door.

Sakura sat down on her rolling chair again and sighed. She then heard a knock from the glass window panels behind her. She turned around and saw that it was Sai waving at her, aided by Sasuke, and both were on a branch of a tree.

Sakura noticed Sai was badly injured and he was clutching his abdomen, so she quickly opened a window panel and shouted, "Sai, what the hell happened to you?!?"

Sai smiled and explained, "Uhm… I… slipped?"

"Idiot!" Sakura hopped out of the window and landed on the branch of a tree, "Where have you been and what the hell happened to you?!?"

"Don't yell at him, can't you see he's badly injured?" Sasuke told Sakura.

She stared at him and said in a monotonous voice, "What did you do to Sai?"

Sasuke diverted his stare from Sakura and just transferred Sai to Sakura's shoulder, "I have to go now. The Godaime's waiting." With that said and done, Sasuke leapt away, as the documents are in his care.

"Hey, I'm gonna go with you!" Sai was about to leave, when Sakura stepped on Sai's foot to stop him, "OUCH!"

Sakura aided Sai carefully to leap from the branch of the tree and into her office. There, she aided him to sit on a couch.

Sakura swiftly opened the door and shouted, "Hey, I need some help here!"

20 minutes later, in the Hokage's Tower…

"The fresh bloodstains on this sackcloth and the absence of your partner tell me one thing." Tsunade eyed Sasuke seriously, "Where's Sai?"

"I took him to Sakura in the hospital."

"Why?"

"Severe injuries."

"Why?"

Sasuke wasn't able to speak up anymore.

Tsunade knew at once what had happened, _"One way or another, he would know who Sai really is and how much he mattered to Sakura once before. And Sasuke would do anything to get what he wants… Sakura is not excluded."_

"I'm going to pass Sai in this mission; on the other hand, I will fail **you** for this mission." Tsunade answered, "This is your punishment for injuring your partner in this mission, uncooperativeness, and for violating important codes in the Elite ANBU Laws."

"Since Sai had been promoted as the upcoming Rokudaime's administrative assistant, we can say that you attacked an official. In case you don't know, with Sai's position right now, he's actually your superior. Be thankful that Sai isn't short-tempered, or else you got your butt kicked. Sai isn't one to be reckoned with. I've reviewed his performance records and all of them were marked very satisfactory, if not outstanding." The Godaime said, "With these kinds of offenses, you could be suspended from being a shinobi for a lifetime."

Sasuke had his eyebrows furrowed upon hearing that.

"Or I could remove you from the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade and reassign you to a lower team." Tsunade sighed, "But then again, the absences of Yamato and Sai from the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade, are already big losses. If I would remove you… then, that brigade will just be an ordinary Elite ANBU brigade. I'm sure Yamato had already oriented you on the brigade's special purpose."

Tsunade paused for a while and continued, "The 7th Elite ANBU Brigade boasts the finest Elite ANBUs in Konoha. That's why you're so many in just one brigade. Remember, one of your brigade's special purposes is to track and hunt down missing nins."

Sasuke then spoke up, "Godaime, why are you telling me all these? I know them already."

"Okay then, I'll cut to the chase." The Hokage's face was now more serious than ever, "How about I forgive you for attacking an official, but you have to agree to the proposal I'm going to offer you."

"And what would that proposal be?"

"What if I make Yamato and Sai's tentative absences from the brigade permanent? I would be willing to reassign them to another brigade."

"But then our brigade will have no captain."

"Oh? Then the captain will be…" Tsunade locked her eyes on Sasuke and said firmly, "**YOU**."

Sasuke was taken back by this statement.

"I'm going to give you an option, Uchiha." Tsunade said, "I'll reassign you to a lower brigade after a year's suspension from being a shinobi, or will you accept the responsibilities as the captain of the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade?"

"Why are you doing this, Godaime?" Sasuke asked.

"I have a huge mission for the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade, and the mission, plus the brigade, will surely need a far more oriented captain than Yamato. And that appropriate person is none other than you, Uchiha Sasuke."

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Tsunade tells Yamato that there had been changes in his Elite ANBU brigade. Meanwhile, Sasuke visits Sai in the hospital. Sakura later enters Sai's room for a visit, when she sees Sasuke. Having heard from Sai on what had happened, Sakura enters in an argument with Sasuke… and then a mischievous Sai wakes up.**

**Homebound, Chapter 83: _Faces of Change_**

"_**Although Sai told me to forget about it, I can't forgive you. You attacked Sai for… personal reasons. What the hell is wrong with you!?"**_  
**-Haruno Sakura**

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**_A/N:_ SasuSaku and slight SaiSaku ahead! And what do I mean by a mischievous Sai? Well…**

**Reviews keep me going:D**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	83. Faces of Change

**_APOLOGIES!!!_ OMG!!! T.T I'm really sorry for not updating for such a long time, guys… I was really busy with school! T.T**

**_UPDATES!_ I finished Chapter 87 and moved on to writing Chapter 88, which is halfway done. :D**

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**(Chapter 83 – Faces of Change)**

It was a beautiful morning in Konoha. And the day in the Hokage Tower started out with…

"**WHAT?!**" Yamato exclaimed in front of the Godaime Hokage.

"You heard me, Yamato." Tsunade told him, "When you go back on duty after Sakura's inauguration as the Rokudaime Hokage, I'm reassigning you to be the captain of the 1st Elite ANBU Brigade. I'm also reassigning Sai to the 1st Elite ANBU brigade. Uchiha Sasuke will take over the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade as the captain from now on."

"Well, why the sudden change?" Yamato questioned.

"You know what I'm up to, right?" Tsunade told Yamato, "I'm going to send the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade off to a high-risk S-rank mission. And since you know about the mission already, it would require a person quite familiar with the target and the area the mission has been centered. And you know that Uchiha Sasuke is the only person, aside from me, who is familiar with the target. So, I've decided to make him as the captain of the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade."

Yamato sighed and answered, "This thing is kind of stressing, you know? I have work here and there just because I'm promoted as the upcoming Rokudaime's advisor, and then this? How about the current captain of the 1st brigade? What would happen to him?"

"He will be a trainer for newly-recruited ANBUs and Elite ANBUs. He already knows this and has accepted it."

"Well, okay. But please, Godaime-sama. I've a lot to work on, so these kinds of troubles affect my workload. At least for a while, could you spare me some problem? Please let this be the last."

Tsunade grinned and nodded, "I understand. I really appreciate that you work hard for my successor. I've been hearing from Hatake Kakashi that your schedule was nearing the impossible – to the point that sometimes, you would have to make bunshins to accomplish the tasks. And for that, I promise, I will be sparing some troubles for you."

"Fine, I'm going to tell the news to Sai, who's still in the hospital, recuperating from his injuries." Yamato replied, "I'm sure you know what had happened."

"Of course..."

Meanwhile…

A door opens in a Konoha Hospital room.

Footsteps quietly approach a sleeping patient on bed.

Uchiha Sasuke visits the recuperating Sai. Sai had a bandage around his abdomen, but he seems to be fine. The bruises and cuts were all gone, thanks to Sakura's care.

The door opens again and a feminine voice reverberated in the room, "What are **you** doing **here**?"

It was Sakura, who was carrying her clipboard, and wearing an annoyed face so early in the morning. Well, she was there to see Sai in the first place, not Sasuke.

Sasuke remained silent, but he still stood there. The truth is, he really wanted to leave, but the presence of this woman made his legs seemingly rooted to the floor. Sakura stood beside Sai on the other side of the bed, just in front of Sasuke.

"Sai told me everything." Sakura spoke, her eyes showing anger towards the Uchiha, "First of all, Sai is a very dear person to me. He is also my administrative assistant. And you attacked him, so it means, you attacked an official. I'm not going to let you get away with what you've done."

Sasuke still remained silent. Ha! Little did she know that he had already been forgiven by Tsunade for his unruly actions towards Sai!

"Although Sai told me to forget about it, I can't forgive you. You attacked Sai for… personal reasons. What the hell is wrong with you!?" Sakura exclaimed.

"You can't forgive me? Why? Who are you to Sai anyway?" Sasuke started speaking out in his defense.

The upcoming Rokudaime's jade eyes narrowed at that statement, "What did you say? Do you know who you're talking to right now?"

"Yes, and don't brag about it. You're not yet the Hokage."

"Why you piece of-"

Just then, a hand reached out to Sakura's right wrist and Sasuke's right wrist. And all of a sudden, Sasuke's fingers and Sakura's fingers are intertwined. They looked to see who did that, and found out that it was Sai's doing.

"Why are you two arguing this early in the morning?" Sai smiled, as his hands were on Sasuke and Sakura's entwined hands, just to keep the hands clasped together right there.

Sakura had an evident, but slight blush on her cheeks, while Sasuke… well, he also blushed, but just a little.

"And you're so noisy in a hospital room! You're not supposed to make noises while a patient is asleep! Sakura, **you ugly hag**, you're supposed to know that! You're a medic, sheesh!" Sai whined, but his lips tugging to a wider smile.

"SAI, **YOU JERK**! WHAT THE HELL ARE **YOU** DOING?! AND WHAT DID YOU CALL **ME**?!" Sakura yelled.

"Why can't the two of you just make up?" Sai asked.

Sai set his hand aside and the two withdrew their hand from one another. Sakura and Sasuke diverted their gaze from one another, and placed their hands behind their backs, and secretly, their other hand reached for the hand that made contact with the other person, and tried to feel the warmth that other person's hand had emitted onto theirs.

Sai let out a small chuckle and commented: "Now this is what I call a good morning!"

"I'm leaving." Sasuke said and left the room.

After Sasuke left…

FWACK!

Sakura had whacked Sai on the head with her clipboard.

"OUCH!!!" Sai tried to soothe the tingling pain on his head, "Can't you see that I'm already injured?!? Are you trying to do some more damage?!? SHEESH!"

Sakura asked, the blush on her cheeks reddening even more, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!?"

"Hehehe… just thought that the two of you would make up once and for all, but… I guess my attempt was at no avail."

"Sai, I'd rather die unmarried and killed in a war, as I protect Konoha… than make up with that… th-that b-b-ba-bastard!" Sakura almost didn't make it to the last part of her statement. It was a complete lie. And Sai knows that all too well.

"Oh really?" Sai's face turned serious, "But why were you searching for his warmth on your hand when the two of you withdrew your hands?"

She couldn't answer, and told herself, _"Sai saw that?!"_

"Live a life full of love." He said, "Courage."

Sakura recognized those phrases, and she looked at Sai with perplexity.

"Your two rules in life, and your favorite quotations, right? But then again, how can you live a life full of love, when you, yourself, are trying to push away the man who is right for you?" Sai spoke, "And where's the thing called 'courage', when you're so afraid of admitting the fact that you still love him?"

Sakura found a chair and sat down beside him, looking at her hands.

"Sakura… you can't run away forever. You have to face the truth. You can never lie to your heart. That's what you taught me, right?" Sai smiled.

Tears made their way to Sakura's eyes, and down to her palm.

A hand reached out to Sakura's face and wiped away her tears – it was Sai's.

"C'mon, deep down inside, you still love Uchiha Sasuke. And since he has done so many trespasses against you, you're pushing him away, in an attempt to hate him and forget about him. You're trying to do to him what he did to you – hate. Love hurts and you thought that if he's gone in your life, the pain will go away. Little do you know, the pain inside only intensifies." Sai explains, "This is suicide, Sakura... And this only hurts you more."

"How would you know, Sai?" Sakura mumbled out, "Aren't you an ice, too?"

"But when you taught me how to be more open to emotions, the ice melted away."

"How could you let this pass? **He** almost killed **you**!"

"**He****ALMOST** killed **me** for **YOUR** sake."

"**My** sake? Don't you have some pity left for **yourself**?!"

"Don't change the topic, you ugly hag."

"Stop calling me that, you lousy jerk!"

Then, there was a short moment of silence…

"I had loved you too, Sakura. That's why I know how he could have felt. That's why I know how much it hurts, and how addictive the pain of loving was."

Sakura looked at Sai and wiped away her tears. She tried to compose herself.

"S-Sorry…" she bellowed as she remembered the time when she used to love Sai, and the time when she apologized, and how enraged he was then.

* * *

**--- FLASHBACK (from Chapter 67) ---**

"I…" Sakura started to speak, "Sai, I just wanted you to know…"

"Wanted me to know what?!" Sai completely lost himself, as he sat up and stared at her with anger, "That now you want me back because your Sasuke-**kun** is intangible now? That he was out of reach for you? That you closed your feelings for him now? Is that what you wanted me to know, Sakura?!"

Sakura's tears flowed like an eternal river; now her small hands covered her mouth and she shook her head in disagreement with what Sai just said.

"It was just when you said goodnight to me on the bridge that night… that darned night… when I realized that you only used me! You just played with me to satisfy your need, your cravings for your Sasuke-**kun** to come back! And you have no idea how that hurt me the most, Sakura!" he couldn't calm down; now tears were also flowing down from his eyes.

Sakura closed her eyes and decided she should just let him have his way… for now.

"I shouldn't be like this, Sakura." Sai corrected his tone, his voice still tainted with anger, sadness and loneliness, "I couldn't keep my emotions in check anymore because of you… You didn't know how much I loved you, but I just admitted defeat to Sasuke… I could never have your favor."

"Never, Sakura, never…" Sai continued, "I shouldn't have loved you…"

Sakura sighed and finally had the courage to stand within his anger, "I just wanted you to know that… that I never regretted loving you, Sai."

And now that silenced Sai. He diverted his gaze from her and wiped away his tears, his tears for **her**.

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

* * *

Sakura stood up from her seat and smiled at Sai. She bent down and hugged him, "Sai, thank you…"

Sai's eyes widened and asked, "For what?"

"For everything…" Sakura replied, "You would do anything for me, but still, I couldn't do anything to return the favor…"

Sai's eyes saddened and remembered the time when she loved him, too.

"You know it hurts me to see you sad and pained." Sai told her, "I told you, I know you're not for me. But I once loved you, and I still do love you as a friend… I just want you to be happy… even if it means handing you over to the man who had hurt you the most… because I know in him, you would be the happiest."

"I'm happy to know that you still care, Sai." She finally released him and heaved a sigh, plus tugging a smile, "You're a true friend."

"Do something about what you feel, before it's too late." Sai reminded with a smile, "To live a life full of love, you'll need courage."

Sakura's smile widened and nodded, "Let's see if I can do something about that."

"If you run away, you'll get lost and you can never be homebound again." Sai told her, "Do you know where your home is? It's in Uchiha Sasuke's heart."

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sai had been discharged from the Konoha Hospital and Sakura forced him to take the day off. In order for his stubbornness not to take any effect, Sakura banned Sai from the ANBU Headquarters and the Hokage Tower for that day. And in his day off, Sai goes to the park and sketches. He then visits an art gallery where he meets the old man who owns the place, and his very beautiful daughter.**

**Next chapter: _Heart Gallery_**

"_**I was just asked to take a day off today, since I just recovered from my injuries."**_  
**-Sai**

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**_A/N:_ It's a SasuSaku and SaiSaku chapter with no hard feelings, right? So everybody should be happy! XD**

**On our next chapter, I will be introducing a new original character. So you should look forward to it! Could she be Sai's killer in disguise? You'll know what I mean if you'll read on. :P**

**Oh well, just review! XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	84. Heart Gallery

**_APOLOGIES!!!_ I'm sorry for updating this late. I know, I know, it might be unusual for me, but guys, you have to understand that I have schoolwork. It's also gonna be my last week in school, so it's gonna be summer vacation. So yeah,** **expect that the update schedule will be going back to normal.**

**Oh yeah, and I'm sorry if I won't be able to reply to your reviews. I'm in a rush and I'm still busy. I'm really sorry, guys. :(

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****_UPDATES!_ I'm not yet done with Chapter 88, but I did at least write a bit. This is because I'm busy and I'm even having a hard time to schedule things and so, yeah... (What the hell am I saying? Damn, my brain might be damaged! T.T)

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****(Chapter 84 – Heart Gallery)**

It had been two days after Sasuke and Sakura had simultaneously visited Sai, and now he's fully healed and discharged. Sakura had mentioned that Sai should take a day off today and Naruto will takeover his job today as her administrative assistant. Well, Naruto has been her assistant since Sai had been hospitalized.

Sai was a workaholic, and Sakura knows that well. No matter how much Sakura would tell Sai to stop working for a bit, he wouldn't listen. So what she did was…

"_Why did that hag ban me from the ANBU Headquarters and the Hokage Tower?!?!"_ Sai thought angrily.

Yes! That was a good solution Sakura made to make him accept his day off! She had banned him from entering the Hokage Tower and even the ANBU Headquarters.

And now, he was seated in one of the benches in the park. He had his sketchbook with him, a charcoal on hand, and he was drawing the landscape.

He looked to his side and saw a young woman wearing a long-sleeved, white, turtleneck, knitted shirt; she also wore stained black denim pants and a pair of pointed-tip white shoes. She had a straight reddish-brown hair that runs past her shoulder blades. He also saw the color of her eyes… they were in hazel hue. She was beautiful, and she had creamy white skin. But what amazes Sai more is that she was an artist.

She was standing in front of her canvas, held up by a wooden tripod canvas-holder. The canvas was positioned obliquely to the right of Sai; so somehow, he could see what she was doing. She was also holding a piece of charcoal on her right hand, sketching the landscape, just like what he was doing.

Sai, who had an artist's eye, saw that her work needs a little more effort. It was true! If you would compare his work with hers, his work is much more… professional. His work had more precise details and more recognizable features compared to hers.

"_Maybe she's an amateur… or a newbie in an art school."_ Sai smiled as he continued sketching.

"Ah!" the young woman gasped as her wristwatch sounded. Quickly, she kept her art materials in her shoulder bag, carefully lifted the canvas, and folded the tripod. She put on her black French hat, carried the canvas with her left arm, the shoulder bag on her right shoulder, and the tripod on her right hand.

She then ran towards the western side of the village. Sai just shrugged his shoulders.

But when he looked back at his sketch, he scratched his head and sighed, _"I lost the idea."_

Meanwhile…

"You'll be taking the place of Yamato-taichou?" an Elite ANBU asked a fellow masked Elite ANBU, who is raven-haired.

It was a team meeting. They were in where used to be Yamato's office.

"Yes. From now on, I will be your team captain. Yamato had been transferred to be the captain of the 1st Elite ANBU Brigade. Sai had been transferred there as well. And this is no longer Yamato's office, this is **my** office now. Yamato's office is in the next building, where the 1st brigade is stationed."

"Yes, sir!" the members of the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade replied.

"Very well, dismissed." The team captain told them, but he pointed to an Elite ANBU in front of him, "Except you."

The brigade left, leaving the captain and the Elite ANBU he pointed at.

The captain went to sit on his swivel chair and looked in one of his many folders on his desk. After browsing for a bit, he then gave him two folders.

"Here, hand these to the upcoming Rokudaime. Tell her she needs to sign these documents in order for it to be submitted to the processing department of the headquarters. The 1st brigade's outgoing captain, Yamato, Sai, the Godaime, and I had signed them already." The captain said.

The Elite ANBU opened the folder and saw that the contents were the documents that certify the transfer of Yamato and Sai to the 1st brigade. These documents also certify that there is a new captain for the 7th brigade.

"Shouldn't you hand these personally, Sir?" the Elite ANBU asked.

"No," the captain replied, "I'm quite busy. I've got a handful of paperwork here. So I've no time to drop by the Hokage Tower and give those to her."

The Elite ANBU nodded and responded, "Alright then, Sasuke-taichou."

Back to Sai…

"Ah, you're the upcoming Rokudaime's administrative assistant, right?" a middle-aged man told Sai, "How could we help you?"

Sai smiled and looked around, "Oh? I just want to see the artworks here."

Sai was in the Konoha Art Gallery. The place is a beautiful architecture of its kind, and the number of artworks? Almost countless!

Sai had placed his art materials in his small backpack earlier, before he even got here.

The old man whom Sai was talking to is the owner of the majestic place. He was a bulky guy, with rounded rosy cheeks. He had white hair, white beard, and a white mustache. He always smiled, he was clad in silver-grey formal wear, and he was in charge of the help desk. **(_A/N:_ Just imagine Santa Claus with less hair and clad in a suit. No reindeers and elves included. :P )**

"You're an artist, too?" the older man asked.

"Yes."

"How many have you painted?"

Sai cupped his chin and thought, "Quite a lot actually…"

"Ah, well, why don't you bring 'em here? I'll be more than happy to set up a week in the Exclusive Hall, featuring you and your works! C'mon, that'll be for free!" merrily the older man offered.

"I'll think about it." Sai smiled, "I'm quite busy myself. I was just asked to take a day off today, since I just recovered from my injuries."

"Ah, is that so?" the older man told him, "Well, my daughter is an artist, too. How old are you, young man?"

"I'm 20 years old." Sai smiled. To him, that was an inaccurate answer. In his days in the ANBU-Ne **(ANBU-Root)**, Danzou, the founder of the organization, had erased his memories. So he doesn't remember how old he exactly is, and he doesn't know his birthday, too. All he just does is to follow Sakura's and Naruto's ages.

"Ah! My daughter's a year younger than you are! She's 19 years old! Ah, she was once a ninja, but not anymore. As soon as she turned into a jounin about two years ago, she had quit! But she found her world in art, so I, being an artist too, supported my child's passion for the arts. I also fulfilled her request to work here as a guide."

"Is she a painter? A sculptor?"

"Ah, it is I who's a sculptor!" the older man smiled heartily, "She's a painter and a sketch artist!"

"Oh. Well, I want to see the gallery now-"

"Ah, you wait just right there, young man! I shall call my dear daughter to show you around!" The older man pressed a button on his desk and said, "Natsumi-chan, please assist our very special visitor here. Thank you!"

Sai gently chuckled and remarked, "I'm not at all that much of a special guest."

The older man pats Sai's shoulder and said, "Ah, I think a Konoha shinobi who still has the heart and time for art **is** a very special guest indeed!"

"Daddy, I'm here!" A feminine voice echoed through the old man's ears and he turned around as loud footsteps echoed through the hallways.

"Ah, here is my beautiful daughter! Young man, meet my daughter, Natsumi. Natsumi-chan, meet our special guest, the upcoming Rokudaime's administrative assistant, uhh… what's your name, young man?"

"Sai." He replied with a smile.

"Ah! Okay then, his name is Sai." The old man grinned.

When Sai looked at the smiling woman again, he said, "Hey, I saw you earlier at the park!"

The woman blinked at him and said, "Eh?"

And when there was a brief moment of silence, the two were intensely staring at each other.

"I can't be mistaken. You were the woman sketching a landscape on your canvas a while ago." Sai had smiled at him, "Coincidentally, I was drawing the same scenery as you did."

When he had smiled at him, Natsumi had blushed and refused to look at him straight in the eye.

Sai turned to the woman's father and commented, "Sir, you have a lovely daughter."

"Yes, isn't she? Ah… she's an exact replica of her mother!" the old man heartily said.

With what Sai have said, Natsumi's blush reddened all the more.

_TBC…_

--- --- --- --- ---

**Shio and Kashime were strolling Konoha and when they got tired, they entered a dimsum restaurant, where plates almost flew at Kashime's rage. Yamato sees them and greets the Mizukage. Meanwhile, Natsumi tours Sai in the vast hallways of the art gallery. And she reveals a sad part of her past.**

**Coming right up: _Silly Love_**

"_**Gee, so that's why you don't know much of the ninjutsus when we were kids. You were getting fat, and it's getting in the way of your chakra!"**_

**-Mayonima Shio

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****_A/N:_ Nothing to say really. XD**

**Was the chapter good? Tell me what you think:P**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	85. Silly Love

**_SINCEREST APOLOGIES, AND YES, SOME BAD NEWS:_ I really am sorry for not updating for almost a month. Well, I'm out of school and currently on vacation (at home, hehe!).**

**For the bad news… What are you thinking, eh? You think I'm discontinuing _Homebound_? HELL NO! Okay, here's the real thing. I mentioned in the previous chapter that the updates will be back to normal, right? Well, I hate to break it down to you guys, but that wouldn't be possible in the meantime because my darned ISP is down, so I can't get any access in the internet from home.**

**So here I am now, in an internet café, downloading my monthly supply of downloads which include songs and Naruto manga chapters, checking my mail inboxes, and etc.**

**I really do hope that you guys understand. Hey, it's hard for me too, you know! My conscience is attacking me for not updating, sheesh!  
**

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**_UPDATES!!!_ And because it's summer vacation, I've got a lot of stamina to work on this fic! YESSSS!!! O.o Well anyway, I finished writing chapters 88 and 89, and almost done with chapter 90. Also, during the first week of vacation, I fixed this chapter, along with Chapter 86 and the succeeding chapters, until 89. Whew!**

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**(Chapter 85 – Silly Love)**

"This place hardly changed at all!" a woman exclaimed, "I missed all the good food here!"

"Kashime-chan, won't we ever get lost?" Shio asked.

Shio and Kashime were seated at a dimsum restaurant, taking a rest from strolling a partial part of Konoha, at late morning. It had been three days since they arrived in Konoha.

Kashime was wearing the same ninja outfit she wore before becoming the Mizukage, and Shio was wearing a Kiri ANBU combat uniform, but without the torso guard and the mask. Instead, he had the Kiri ANBU robe on.

"Of course we won't!" Kashime had stuck her tongue out at her fiancé and said, "When I would come and visit Konoha when I was a kid, Sakura and I would walk around the village, eating anything we might find in food stalls! And if we're frenzied enough, we would even eat food from five different restaurants!"

"Gee, so that's why you don't know much of the ninjutsus when we were kids. You were getting fat, and it's getting in the way of your chakra!"

"What did you say!?!?" a vein popped out of Kashime's temple, "It doesn't mean that you were so good at ninjutsu then that you still have a right to call me-"

"Call you what? **Round-face**?" Shio snickered, "Your face was as round as a ball!"

"ARRRRRGH!!!" She said, "HMPH! You didn't become an ANBU Head anyway, while I did!"

"At least I didn't have a round face when I was a kid."

"And do I still have a round face, Shio?! I don't! Look! I have a perfectly tipped chin!" Kashime pointed to her chin, massaging it even, "And look, I have very womanly cheekbones!" She squeezed her cheeks, "And I have long, adorable, orange hair!" She combed through her long wavy orange locks, "See? DAMN, I FEEL GORGEOUS!"

Shio slapped his forehead and murmured, "Why did I love you again?"

"WHAT!?!"

"How in this cruel world did I love you?" Shio sighed, "Why did it have to be a loud person who couldn't give me peace!"

"I'll give you peace, all right! Rest in peace! Or rather, in pieces!" Kashime exclaimed that made the people in the restaurant look at her.

Shio looked at the people around them and smiled, "She was just joking. Don't mind us; this is our way of showing our affection for each other. Hehehe, sorry!"

"What affection! Shi-ooooooooooo… you're gonna die!" Kashime was in an angered daze. Uh-oh…

Shio just sweatdropped, "K-Kashime-chan… Calm down, okay?"

"Mizukage-sama?" a masculine voice recognized the orange-haired woman.

Kashime turned to look who had formally addressed her and saw Yamato. But she doesn't know who the heck Yamato is.

"Err, yes?" Kashime just calmed down and answered.

Yamato smiled and bowed, "Nice to see you here. I'm Yamato, one of the upcoming Rokudaime's administrative advisors."

"Oh is that so?" she smiled sweetly, "Well then, hello! Is my cousin looking for me already?"

"Uhm, cousin?" Yamato repeated.

"Yeah, your boss, Haruno Sakura. She's my cousin!" she answered, and whispered next: "My name's Haruno Kashime."

Yamato eyed the Mizukage wide-eyed, "You and Sakura are… are… COUSINS?!?"

Kashime giggled devilishly which made Shio sweatdrop as she said, "Yes! Don't we look alike?!? We're both gorgeous!!! Mwahahahaha!"

Yamato looked at Shio and he noticed him staring. Shio told him, "Please never mind her, she's just hungry."

Meanwhile…

"So this is the abstract painting gallery." Natsumi said as she walked leisurely through a vast hallway.

"Are you an abstract painter?" Sai had asked.

"Uhm, no." Natsumi replied, "I paint and sketch self-portraits of people, landscapes, sceneries, events, still life, and well… I paint pretty much anything, except abstract. I'm not really a painter who likes logic anyway."

"Same here." Sai agreed, "I mean no offense, but whenever I see abstract paintings, I like to mock them. It's like their purpose is to make a viewer stay longer in order to stare at the work completely and make them think. I believe it's just like torturing and coercing your supports to think against their will so they could dig the meaning of your work and somehow appreciate it for a few seconds, then they leave."

"Well, we should just proceed to the next hall. This gallery is actually a main hallway, so we have to pass by here to proceed to the landscape sketches hall." She told him, "Uhm… If you don't mind me asking… why are you here? I mean, being the upcoming Rokudaime's administrative assistant… doesn't that mean that you're busy?"

"I am always busy and I love being busy." Sai answered with a smile, "But I just got out from the hospital and Sakura told me to take the day off and rest."

"Hospital? You were hospitalized for what?" Natsumi responded, wide-eyed.

"Some injuries I attained from doing what's only supposed to be a simple Elite ANBU mission turned chaos." Sai told her sarcastically, "I already filed my leave papers in the ANBU Headquarters, and still, the Godaime calls me up for a mission? Sheesh!"

"Oh, you're an Elite ANBU, too?!" Natsumi exclaimed.

Upon saying that, quicker than a blink, she found Sai's hand on her mouth, his eyebrows furrowed, as he looked at the people in the gallery to see if somebody heard her.

"Please don't say that in public. That information is classified…" Sai sternly told her.

"Oh, I'm… I-I'm so s-s-sorry..." The woman apologetically said as soon as Sai released his hold on her, "But why did you just say classified information to me?"

Sai seemingly froze up and thought, _"Yeah stupid, why did **I** say something like **that**?!?"_

"I… I slipped. Sorry about that… but please, don't tell anyone about that, okay?" he sheepishly told her.

"Your secret's safe with me… but wow! Your job's quite amazing!"

"What's amazing about it?"

"Well, you get to do a lot of stuff… And that actually means you're pretty strong!"

"Your father told me you passed as a jounin, but after you got your jounin license, you decided to work here instead?"

"Oh that…" Natsumi sighed, "Believe it or not, I was an ace when I was a chuunin; but even though I passed the jounin tests with high marks, I just decided to settle down with my boyfriend then."

"So you're married now?"

"No." she said sadly, "Unfortunately, a month before our wedding day, my fiancé then broke up with me."

Sai eyed her, "For what reason?"

"He said that I spend more time doing artworks like sketching and painting than being with him. I happen to know just recently that he married a beautiful young woman, a gourmet cook." She sighed, "I guess I loved art more than him… Not many people would appreciate what I do…"

"… I would." He said, as he looked calmly into her eyes.

Natsumi stared back at him with wonder and surprise, "You… would?"

"Sakura had always admired how I drew. But so far, only she appreciates my works. Hey, I'm an artist too."

"Sakura, is that the upcoming Rokudaime's name?" Natsumi asked, trying to change the subject, "She must be a wonderful person."

"She really is, as long as you won't annoy her." A smile played on Sai's lips.

There was a brief moment of silence and Sai spoke, "Art is a complicated thing to do, but it is so addictive. The thing is, only a few people would appreciate what we do."

"Here we are… the landscape sketches hall. The artworks that you will find here are created mostly by anonymous artists. The artworks that you will find here are all either charcoal, chalk on dark paper, or pencil sketches. For the colored landscape artworks, you will find all those in the next gallery, which is the landscape paintings hall." Natsumi tried to shake off the reality that she was doing something else rather than doing what she was supposed to do – to guide this special guest in this vast art gallery.

"I don't want to see those." Sai looked at her and smiled, "If you don't mind, I want to see your artworks."

Natsumi had blushed a little from what he had said, and mumbled out, "E-Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he continued, "I want to see your works."

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Natsumi is taken back by Sai's request and thinks about it. Meanwhile, an Elite ANBU shows up at Sakura's office in the Hokage Tower. Upon knowing the contents of the folders, Sakura sends back the Elite ANBU and commands him to tell the new captain that she didn't sign the folders because according to the ANBU Constitution, the incoming captain should hand over the documents in person. Sakura gives the new captain 12 hours to return the documents in person. As that happens, Yamato, Kashime, and Shio chats in the dimsum restaurant. However, when the topic leads to Uchiha Sasuke, the Mizukage's temper towards the man resurfaces.**

**Follow the lead: _Authority_**

"_**That Uchiha! He better not show his face or else he's gonna get some serious punishment from me!"**_  
**- Haruno Kashime**

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**_A/N:_ Oooh… The Mizukage's angry with the Uchiha! Looks like it spells trouble for Sasuke and headaches for Sakura! Read on!**

**Today I got my report card from school… nothing! I just wanna say that! Hahahaha! As expected, that damn Chemistry subject is gonna be low! Well, thank goodness I won't have to deal with it again in the next school year, two months from now… Well, I have to deal with Physics instead! Huhuhuhu…**

**Oh, and I won't be able to reply to your reviews. I'm sorry, really. But to those who reviewed Chapter 84 and 85, THANK YOU!!! **

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**_AUTHOR'S REVERIES (I NEED YOUR OPINIONS, FELLAS!):_ Well, Homebound's plot is nearing its conclusion, but on the way there sprouts numerous problems coming from the characters. I'm done with only HALF of those problems, so I'm now on Chapter 90, and I'm still not yet in that high stage (SPOILER!!! How Sasuke and Sakura would end up together). QUESTION: What do you think about Homebound reaching 100 chapters (or more)? Please state your answers in your reviews. THANKS!**

**So what do you think? REVIEW! XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	86. Authority

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_** HOORAY!!! MY INTERNET AT HOME IS FINALLY FIXED!!! Whew! I though it will never come to, really. But I'm just GLAD, GLAD, GLAD, that it did. So yeah, NOW I'M TELLING YOU!!! Listen up 'coz this is for sure: **_**Homebound **_**will be back to its weekly releases! This is good from May until mid-June.**

**Yeah, I'll be busy AGAIN in the next month (and for 10 months, actually) since I'm going back to school. Damn, it's my last year in high school! T.T**

**Right now, I'm giving you my ****top three**** reasons why I KNOW I'm going to be VERY busy when I go back to school:**

**1) I'll be looking for a college and, well, you know how FRUSTRATING and how ROUGH the procedures are**

**2) I'm going to be in my last year both in high school and in the school paper. I'm greatly devoted to my job as a campus journalist, and let's not get rid of the fact that I'm a candidate for the title of Editor-in-Chief and President of the school paper. I gotta work extra hard to be one! GRRR!!! I'm gonna work extremely hard to be the 41****st**** Editor-in-Chief of the school paper!!! (Do I start to sound like Naruto wanting to be the Rokudaime? XD)**

**3) I applied to be a member of the Catechists in school… Being a Catechist means MORE EXTRA WORK, MORE STRESS, LESS SLEEP, and… annoying little brats to teach. O.o …But no matter, anything for big grades. –wink-**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Here we are… the landscape sketches hall. The artworks that you will find here are created mostly by anonymous artists. The artworks that you will find here are all either charcoal, chalk on dark paper, or pencil sketches. For the colored landscape artworks, you will find all those in the next gallery, which is the landscape paintings hall." Natsumi tried to shake off the reality that she was doing something else rather than doing what she was supposed to do – to guide this special guest in this vast art gallery.

"I don't want to see those." Sai looked at her and smiled, "If you don't mind, I want to see your artworks."

Natsumi had blushed a little from what he had said, and mumbled out, "E-Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he continued, "I want to see your works."

**(Chapter 86 – Authority)**

Natsumi remained silent and she stared intently at him. Sai returned the gaze with his.

"I'm serious." Sai told her.

Natsumi then realized that he was already staring back at her and she blushed. She then heaved a sigh and nodded, "But my place here is quite a secret. Only my father, my friends, and I know about my art room here. So would you promise me you wouldn't tell anyone?"

Sai placed his right hand on his chest and answered with a soft smile, "You got my word."

Then, Sai reached out his hand to Natsumi and told her, "Take my hand and lead the way, Natsumi-san."

She blushed again upon seeing his hand reach out as he said that. Though hesitant towards this stranger, she tenderly took his hand and smiled back at him, while they paced up their walk, "Follow me please."

In the Hokage Tower…

A knock was heard on the door of Sakura's office in the Hokage Tower. She had her left hand on her temple and left elbow leaning on the desk stacked with piles of papers, folders, and boxes of scrolls. She was currently reading a part of the document that the Mizukage had delivered earlier at her office.

"Come in." Sakura said.

And in came a masked Elite ANBU with two folders in hand.

The Elite ANBU closed the door behind him and bowed in front of the successor as a sign of respect.

"Good morning, Haruno-sama. I am from the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade and I was tasked by our new team captain to deliver these folders to you. He also wants me to inform you that these had been signed by him, the Godaime, the 1st Elite ANBU Brigade's outgoing captain, Sai, and Yamato. It only requires your signature for them to be passed to the processing department of the ANBU Headquarters." The Elite ANBU said as he handed the folders to Sakura.

She was confused, "A new team captain? And these were signed by him, Yamato, and Sai? And the 1st Elite ANBU Brigade's captain is now outgoing? What the hell…"

She quickly opened one folder and read the contents. _**(A/N:**_** The other folder was just a copy. The folder she's reading just has the same contents as the other folder. However, the said signatures can be found in both folders and she just needs to sign both for the case to be officially approved by the ANBU Headquarters.)**

Her eyes widened and she quickly turned the pages and read more. Upon reaching the certification page, she found the signatures of Sai, Yamato, the new captain of the 7th brigade, the outgoing captain of the 1st brigade, and Tsunade. It just needs one blank to be filled out – and the signature it need had to be Sakura's.

"Sasuke is the new team captain? Yamato and Sai were transferred to the 1st brigade…?" Sakura murmured.

"Haruno-sama, please sign the certification pages on both folders in order for the case to be processed and legalized." The Elite ANBU repeated.

"I'm not signing this." Sakura closed the folder, "This should be handed personally by the new captain, and not you."

"But he said he's busy-"

Sakura dragged a thick book in front of her, opened it to the table of contents, and turned the pages. The book was a copy of the ANBU Constitution.

There, she read, "According to Article XII, Paragraph IV: Transferals, Section VII, if there has been a change of captains, the incoming captain of a brigade should hand over the documents for legalization to the Hokage, **IN PERSON**. Noted here in Section VIII, if the incoming captain fails to hand over the document **IN PERSON**, he cannot send forth a subordinate to deliver it. It had to be the incoming captain so the Hokage could inspect if the person is capable enough of handling the responsibilities as a captain. Should a subordinate deliver the documents, the Hokage must return the document immediately to the subordinate and give the incoming captain, himself, 12 hours to deliver the documents. If the incoming captain fails to do so within 12 hours, the transfer will be null and void."

Sakura slammed the book shut and looked at the Elite ANBU, saying: "I think you understood what I said. You should believe my word now, for it came from your organization's constitution, and not just from my own discretion."

The Elite ANBU bowed and responded in a humble tone, "Yes, I understand, Haruno-sama. Forgive me for this mistake."

"It's alright; it's not your fault anyway. Tell him that I don't care if he's busy. A constitution should be strictly followed. Give these back to him and tell him if he wants it signed, then he should hand it to me in person, and he has 12 hours to do it." Sakura gave the folders back to the Elite ANBU, "You're dismissed."

The Elite ANBU bowed and said, "Yes, I will tell him that, Haruno-sama. Sorry to have bothered you. Good day."

And with that, the Elite ANBU left.

Sakura returned to reading the documents from Kirigakure and suddenly thought, _"Why did Sasuke become the new captain? Why were Sai and Yamato-taichou transferred to the 1__st__ brigade? Could there be some deeper reason in this?"_

Sakura shook her head and sighed, "Sakura, you're lacking oxygen supply in your brain today."

Meanwhile…

"So you're here for the signing of the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance, right?" Yamato asked Kashime.

Shio had insisted Yamato earlier to seat with them for a meal in the dimsum restaurant.

"Yeah!" Kashime said bubbly after gulping a bite of deep-fried spicy beef dumplings, "Well, we passed by the Hokage Tower before strolling Konoha. I dropped off the written codes for the Eternal Alliance in Sakura's office for viewing. We would have the formal signing ceremony tomorrow. In that set of written codes had been written that Konoha will help Kirigakure improve its ninja expertise by sending a group of Konoha ANBUs to Kirigakure to train the Kiri ANBUs for a year, in every three years. In exchange, Kirigakure will agree to boost Konoha's trade economy."

"Wow, that's amazing. It's a great plan for mutualism and improvement on both sides." Yamato answered, "So who would choose the ANBUs to be sent to your hometown?"

"That choice would either come from the Godaime or the upcoming Rokudaime. It would also be okay if a brigade would volunteer to go to Kirigakure and train our ANBU forces." Shio told Yamato.

"_Please don't let it be the 1__st__ brigade!"_ Yamato begged in his thoughts.

"Can I ask you something, Yamato?" the Mizukage turned serious, "What ever happened to the criminal Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Why ask, Mizukage-sama?"

"He killed a lot of our ninjas in Kirigakure. He is also undoubtedly the criminal behind the bus explosion near the Kirigakure gates, which killed the innocent people from Konoha and other nearing towns surrounding Kirigakure. And because of that, Sakura had amnesia, and was hospitalized for numerous injuries. When Sakura regained her memory, he kidnapped her. He was the reason why Sakura forced herself to do a suicide justu, of which she has been saved from. He almost killed Shio. Overall, he became a threat to Kirigakure. I'm sure he is a criminal. I know that he also left Konoha to seek a high-rank missing-nin named Orochimaru to gain power. That was a crime he made to Konoha. Seriously, I think Uchiha Sasuke should be sentenced to death for violating the ninja codes, for multiple homicides, and for treason." Kashime enumerated all Sasuke's trespasses against Konoha and Kirigakure, "Don't you think so?"

Yamato sighed, "To tell you the truth, just recently… Uchiha Sasuke did another crime. He attacked a higher-ranking official."

"Really? Who is the official whom he attacked?" Kashime's eyes widened.

"Sai, the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage's administrative assistant."

"The cute guy whom Sakura's always with?!?" Kashime exclaimed.

"Uhh, yeah. Sai was dropped off in the Konoha Hospital then for serious injuries. Even so, Sai had forgiven Sasuke for doing such recklessness to an official like himself. After all, Sasuke assaulted Sai for personal reasons… It wasn't only Sai who had forgiven Sasuke, but also the Godaime Hokage." Yamato answered.

"Seriously?!?" Shio reacted.

"I know how you must be feeling, Mizukage-sama. Uchiha Sasuke already has a long list of crimes in Kirigakure, but he also has records of crimes in Konoha. However, the Godaime Hokage knows his abilities and how powerful and skilled he truly is… As nasty as it sounds, the Hokage had forgiven Uchiha Sasuke for **ALL** his crimes against Konoha... that is, in exchange of his ninja services. The Godaime is planning to annihilate a threat to Konoha, and she chose Sasuke as the front man for that S-rank mission." Yamato sighed, "I don't feel like Sasuke should be forgiven either, Mizukage-sama… but the Godaime had already handed down the **executive pardon**, and that had cleansed his name."

Kashime's hands clenched into trembling fists and said through gnashed teeth, "That Uchiha! He better not show his face or else he's gonna get some serious punishment from me!"

Yamato continued, "Please don't tell anyone I told you about these things, Mizukage-sama and Shio-san. What I just told you was supposed to be classified information. So please don't spread the word – not even to Sakura who knows nothing about this."

"Kashime, calm down." Shio held his fiancée's fists and said, "We can't do anything about this anymore. It had been handled by the Godaime… as wicked as it sounds."

"Sai told me a little something." Yamato smiled, "Amidst all those crimes, Sasuke and Sakura still loves each other deeply… they just don't tend to show it… Most definitely because Sakura doesn't want to forgive Sasuke for all that he did. I'm sure Sakura knows all the crimes Sasuke did. Of all people he had hurt, Sakura received the hardest blow and the deepest of scars. I'm sure even if she loves him, her hatred for the man surfaces and dominates."

Kashime suddenly smiled evilly, "Is that so? Well, I'll teach them both a lesson. Sasuke should be punished for all that he did! The price for the lives he took away is his life! And as for my dearest cousin who learned nothing… I will make her punish Sasuke in front of legal witnesses, or else I would never step again on this land."

"Kashime!" Shio half-yelled, "Kashime, what are you saying?!?"

"Why Shio? Isn't this the right thing to do?" Kashime replied, "Sakura must know that criminals are unforgiven unless given the punishment they deserve."

Yamato was silenced by this.

Deep down inside, Kashime thought, _"Sakura, I'm only doing this because I'm a member of the Haruno Blue Circle. Remember, our ancient task is to protect Haruno White Circles, like you."_

In the ANBU Headquarters…

A folder was returned to Sasuke's desk.

Sasuke opened the folders and found out that Sakura's signatures were nowhere to be found. He looked up at the Elite ANBU whom he had asked to deliver the folder.

The Elite ANBU bowed his head down and explained, "Sir she wants me to inform you that unless you hand it over to her personally, she will not sign the documents."

"Didn't you tell her I'm busy?"

"I did, Sir. However, she read to me two passages from the ANBU Constitution that insists that you should hand those over to her personally. According to the constitution, once it had been presented by a subordinate, the Hokage gives 12 hours to the incoming captain to deliver the documents personally. If you fail to do so, the transfers will be cancelled." The Elite ANBU sighed, "Sir, I mean no disrespect, but I tried to tell you to hand it to her personally, alas, you didn't take my word."

Sasuke sighed and said, "All right then. You may now go back to your routines. Dismissed."

The Elite ANBU bowed and excused himself as he got out of Sasuke's office.

Sasuke pounded his hand on the folders and sighed heavily.

"_She's taking this personally."_ He thought.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Kashime makes an official visit to Sakura later that afternoon. She then asks of Sakura to punish Uchiha Sasuke for his crimes against the Hidden Mist and the Hidden Leaf. Sakura tells her that Kashime will have the answer on the next day – the day when they sign the Treaty of Eternal Alliance. Later on, Yamato comes in and brings in some more trouble concerning… you guessed it! Uchiha Sasuke.**

**Catch the wave of troubles: **_**Don't Forget About Love**_

"_**Having a hard time already, Rokudaime-san?"**_  
**- Yamato**

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**O.o ****RANDOM BLAH-BLAH SECTION!!!** **O.o**

**TO THOSE WHO ARE BOTH READING **_**HOMEBOUND**_** AND THE RECENT NARUTO MANGA CHAPTERS!!! (At least from Chapters 347 up)**

Okay, okay. I just had a VERY CURIOUS approach on the presence on Karin in the manga. For all of you who don't know, Karin is a woman who is very loyal to Orochimaru. But since Orochimaru's dead in the manga, Sasuke takes over. Anyway, didn't anybody here feel uncomfortable when Sasuke chose Karin? I mean I did! Here I thought Sasuke was a sexist! But I guess I went wrong with the following scenes, proving he's not:

_**Sasuke said:**_ "I need you, Karin."

_**Releina was like:**_ "Did **Uchiha Sasuke** just tell a **girl** that **he**** NEEDS ****HER**?!? D-d-did he just do the most unpredictable? To tell a girl that he needs her? That's it! I'm returning to hell!"

_**Sasuke said:**_ "Stand back Karin. I'll go in." (This was the scene outside Juugo's cell, when Karin undid the last lock of the cell and was about to open it.)

_**Releina was like:**_ O.o –speechless for a while- T.T –cries- "Why didn't **you** act that way to **Sakura**? Huhuhuhu… This can't be happening!"

The splash page of Chapter 351 features an image of Karin. An unofficial fansub scanlation says, "… For Sasuke to have chosen her, she must be among the strongest kunoichi."

It does explain why Sasuke chose her. It was a fact since it was from the manga, itself. Hey, nobody can argue with the author Masashi Kishimoto-sama. So yeah, it really is heartbreaking for a SasuSaku fan such as me. Not to mention that Karin seems to like Sasuke and the concrete fact that he needs her. So I'm kinda leading to a thought that they might end up together and Sakura might really end up with Naruto.

**SASUSAKU FANS! THIS LOOKS LIKE DOOM FOR US ALL!!! T.T**

So I would like to hear what everyone, who has read the manga, thinks about this matter. This scenario has actually inspired me to write another epic. If you want to, I might even send the preview of the fic right into your inboxes.

**Do tell me what you think about this matter. Your reactions might serve as an inspiration for me to write a new fic.**

**If you want a copy of the preview of the fic I'm planning to do (I'm still not sure if I'm continuing it), please do tell me in your reviews.**

**Domo arigatou!**

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_**P.S:**__**The preview of the fic I mentioned features the new characters. So it's only best for those who have read the manga, otherwise don't blame me if you can't understand it. The characters are difficult to explain! O.o**_

**+Releina Artemis+**


	87. Don't Forget About Love

Greet your mom a…

**HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!**

To all the mothers out there! Happy Mother's Day!!!

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_**ACKNOWLEDGMENT:**_** I would like to thank everyone who reacted and gave their insights on the Sasuke and Karin issue. As I've said on the previous chapter, this scenario had inspired me to do another fic, however, I'm not yet sure if I'm gonna go for it.**

**So I would like some feedback on the fic. Please tell me in your reviews or PM me if you want to have a copy of the preview of **_The Perfect Specimen_**, and I'll have it mailed in your inboxes. Thank you!**

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**(Chapter 87 – Don't Forget About Love)**

Later that afternoon, Kashime, clad in her Mizukage robe, the triangular hat, and the veil covering her nose and mouth, hurriedly strode to the upcoming Rokudaime's office in the Hokage Tower, and with her was her personal bodyguard and administrative assistant – Mayonima Shio.

Kashime had insisted to be clad in formal wear after her conversation with Yamato earlier in the dimsum restaurant. So now, here she was, to discuss a **very **important matter.

The Mizukage stood in front of Sakura's office door and Shio knocked, saying: "The Mizukage is here."

Sakura stood up from her seat and opened the door for the Mizukage and Shio. Sakura noticed that Kashime was clad in her Mizukage attire, so she knew there was something important to discuss. She gestured to the seat in front of her desk. All of them are seated now.

"So what brings you here, Mizukage-sama?" Sakura addressed formally.

"Rokudaime-san, I hope you still remember what had happened to you in Kirigakure." The Mizukage calmly stated, "You still do remember, right?"

Sakura shrugged her shoulders and said, "Yeah, what about it?"

"I just want you to know that now that I'm the Mizukage, and that simply means that I am the protector of the all the people in the Hidden Mist."

"Yes, and?"

"There was this one criminal whom our hunter-nins tried to chase, but they were unsuccessful. The criminal was the mastermind behind a bus explosion that had incinerated all its passengers into ashes except for two passengers who escaped – and that would be you and the fella who was clad in green. This criminal also killed some of our ANBUs, and this man became a threat to the peace of Kirigakure. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about, Sakura." Kashime still told Sakura calmly. _**A/N**_**: The fella clad in green – Rock Lee.**

Sakura knew very well the answer to that and she answered flatly, "Uchiha Sasuke."

"I'm aware that he wasn't only a threat to us, but also to Konoha. I know he has two records of treason, and that is only just but equal to be sentenced to death." Kashime continued, "Rokudaime-san, I want you to know that as long as I'm here in Konoha and I know that that man is still alive and is just around the corner, I feel very disturbed. I don't know why, maybe because of his crimes against Kirigakure. I also know you love him, but I want him dead, Rokudaime-san, really."

Sakura's chest was tightening. Kill Sasuke? No! Of course not! Never!

"It's going to be hard for you to allow him to die, so why don't we put it this way." Kashime answered, "Uchiha Sasuke will be sent to Kirigakure to train our ANBUs. Do you agree?"

"I'm sorry Mizukage-sama, but I can't do that. There are some issues that had to be settled first. He had been recently announced as the new captain of his brigade and I need to know the reason why. If the reason concerns great deal, then he will not be sent to Kirigakure. However, if the reason is shallow, I will send him and his brigade to the Mist."

"I am asking for his punishment, Rokudaime-san." The Mizukage addressed, "If he cannot leave Konoha to go to Kirigakure, then how should he be punished?"

Sakura sighed, "I'll think about it… I'll announce my decision tomorrow, when we sign our contracts."

"I will be anticipating your answer." Kashime said.

"Is that all you ask of me, Mizukage-sama?" Sakura asked.

Kashime stood up and bowed, "Yes, Rokudaime-san. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving now. Good day."

Shio stood up and bowed to the upcoming Rokudaime and opened the door for the orange-haired Mizukage.

Sakura held her temples and sighed, "What am I going to do with Sasuke? He has issues on his transfer and now Kashime's asking me to punish him!"

Somebody knocked at her door and she said, "Come in."

"Having a hard time already, Rokudaime-san?" Yamato smiled.

"Sakura." She snapped back.

"Right, Sakura." Yamato chuckled, "Still not used to being called 'Rokudaime-san', I presume?"

"It makes me insecure and it makes me panic. I don't know why. So what's up?" Sakura sat up straight and continued reading her paperwork.

"The Godaime asked me to bring you this." Yamato presented a folder with a red seal.

Folders with red seals mean one thing – classified information for an S-rank mission.

Sakura had an expression of shock and curiosity. She grabbed hold of the folder and gently tore off the red seal and opened the folder while Yamato stood in front of her. After reading the objective of the mission on the first page, her eyes narrowed and she quickly slammed the folder shut.

"What is Tsunade-sama up to?" Sakura asked, half-anxious and half-angry.

"She plans to finish all enemies so you could rule Konoha peacefully and without many problems." Yamato explained and sighed, "I know it's shocking. She told me that it's time to finish all adversaries. Although she mentioned that this is just the first person to annihilate."

"First?!?" Sakura stood from her seat, "You mean, there's more?!?"

"Through the words of the Godaime, I guess we can say it's implied but not stated."

Sakura sat down dumbfounded and opened the folder again and viewed the next pages, and this time her eyes narrowed further, if that was even humanly possible.

"So that's why…" Sakura looked up at Yamato, "Why didn't you tell me this in the first place? You knew this was happening, right? Undoubtedly, you know at least something about this… you should, because I know you're one of Tsunade-sama's favorite subordinates."

"I did know about this matter..." Yamato replied, "I was the first one to know about this aside from Shizune."

Sakura felt her heart drop as she stared helplessly at the profile of Uchiha Sasuke – the new captain of 7th Elite ANBU Brigade.

"_What am I going to do?"_ Sakura asked as weary clearly was etched on her face, _"Kashime wants Sasuke to be punished… The Godaime wants to send Sasuke on an S-rank mission… Why did this day have to be concerned about legal issues on him?"_

"Sakura." Yamato called.

Sakura snapped back to her senses and turned to him, "Y-Yes?"

"Sakura, are you all right? You look pale." Yamato asked worriedly.

"I… I-I'm fine…" Sakura exhaled deeply, closed the folder, and kept it safe in her upper drawer in her desk.

"No, you're not." He answered rather sharply.

"I'm **fine**." She stressed the word.

"I'm your advisor, Sakura. So if you have any problems, just spill it out, and we'll try to work it out."

Sakura dropped her pen back on the desk. She sat back and sank a little in her seat for a bit more comfort. She rubbed her temples, closed her eyes, and sighed audibly.

"Okay, everything I know about, I'll spill it right here, right now." Yamato grabbed a swivel chair and sat cross-legged across her, "**EVERYTHING.** Just ask and I'll say it out."

Sakura opened her eyes and looked at him sharply, thinking, _"Yamato-taichou is the only one who completely knows about everything that's going on. He's giving it away now, so should I take the chance, or die trying to unravel those secrets?"_

With that, Sakura storms her mind on a decision: yes or no.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Yamato helps out Sakura on her problems and she gets complete answers to her several questions; therefore, she understood the difficult situation. Meanwhile, Sai is in Natsumi's secret art room. Sai discovers a few things about Natsumi and her ex-fiancé. Later on, Natsumi puts up a topic that leads to an argument between the two.**

**Next on Homebound: **_**Power of Convincing**_

"_**I guess I can't burn something that made me feel complete… he was the man I first loved. He proposed marriage to me but he left me for a silly reason."**_  
**- Natsumi**

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_**A/N:**_** Nothing to say much, really... although I would like to apologize because this chapter was short. Hehehehe…. XD**

**By the way, due to insistent public demand, I'm gonna put more characters on the succeeding chapters! Number one on the list is the return to the storyline of Uzumaki Naruto!**

**And yeah, I'm thinking about a NaruHina chapter, too, so Uzumaki Hinata might be around. One thing's for sure! There would be a chapter wherein Neji would know that Tenten is pregnant!**

**Oh, and yeah, I'm still thinking about bringing up a ShikaIno chapter. After all, they're the newlyweds in the story. I hope everyone's excited! XD**

**Please leave me a review, okay?**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	88. Power of Convincing

_**YES, ANOTHER APOLOGY:**_** Yeah, it's been three months and some of you have been complaining already. The reason of me not updating Homebound on the first month was intentional. I was suffering from a severe writer's block. In the next two months however, I got back to school and I have been very busy. Having been proclaimed as the new editor-in-chief of our school paper, I am tied to bigger obligations in the school. I can't really promise updates very often right now because I am going to get busier in the next few days, weeks, and months. I'm really sorry.**

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… **And yeah, I'm updating Homebound on my 16****th**** birthday. It was intentional. XD So none of you would flame me, because it's my birthday. WAHAHAHAHA! (I'm so evil!)**

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… **And what a wonderful birthday gift! 1500+ reviews!!! Woooo! THANK YOU FELLAS!!! XD**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

Sakura dropped her pen back on the desk. She sat back and sank a little in her seat for a bit more comfort. She rubbed her temples, closed her eyes, and sighed audibly.

"Okay, everything I know about, I'll spill it right here, right now." Yamato grabbed a swivel chair and sat cross-legged across her, "**EVERYTHING.** Just ask and I'll say it out."

Sakura opened her eyes and looked at him sharply, thinking, _"Yamato-taichou is the only one who completely knows about everything that's going on. He's giving it away now, so should I take the chance, or die trying to unravel those secrets?"_

With that, Sakura storms her mind on a decision: yes or no.

**(Chapter 88 – Power of Convincing)**

Sakura sighed and said, "Tell me about Tsunade-sama's plans."

Yamato sat back, and breathed in deeply, "Okay then. The Godaime Hokage wants to hunt down a specific missing-nin who continues to be a threat to Konoha for years now. This is a classified S-rank mission and it's meant only for a special unit of Elite ANBUs – specifically, the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade. Initially, I was still supposed to be the captain of the brigade in the mission, but she had a better idea – to transfer me to another brigade, in order for my new brigade to learn new things from me, since I possess vast experiences from being an ANBU for quite several years now. She also wanted Sai to transfer because she could see that he is a great help to you – and that's all the reason she had for transferring the two of us. As for Sasuke… she promoted Sasuke to be the captain of the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade because he is well-oriented with the target and the area of the attack. The Godaime, though secretly, really promoted Sasuke so that the mission will undoubtedly be successful. She is actually taking advantage of Sasuke's determination to kill the target-"

"And the target is Orochimaru. And the area of the attack will be Otogakure." Sakura interrupted as her eyebrows furrowed.

"Yes." Yamato pointed out, "As stated on the objective page of the folder I just gave you."

"Now I get it."

"Do you want to know anything else?"

"Who knows about this?"

"The basic plan of the Godaime having an S-rank mission before she leaves her reign, Naruto and a few others know about it. However, the complete details of the plan, of course, the Godaime, Shizune, Sasuke, and I know about it, Kakashi, Sai, and now, you know about it."

After a brief moment of silence, Sakura spoke: "Actually, I'm having problems concerning Uchiha Sasuke right now."

"May I know?" Yamato asked, "I may be of help."

"Well," she shrugged her shoulders, "Kashime wants Sasuke to be punished for all the crimes he made against Konoha and Kirigakure. I think that won't be possible because… because… b-b-because…"

Sakura was at a loss for words, her heart was pacing and skipping beats, and beads of sweat were visible on her forehead.

"Because…?"

"… _because I already forgave him for all he did… and punishment isn't needed anymore… Wait, what the hell am I thinking?!?!"_ Sakura thought

"… b-because of the S-rank mission." Sakura bit her lip for that. That wasn't what her brain wants her to say.

"You're right." Yamato replied, "Well, are you asked to respond immediately?"

"No. I told her she'll have my answer tomorrow, the day we'll be signing the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance."

"The Konoha press and the Kirigakure press will be there on the signing of the treaty." Yamato tipped his chin.

"Yeah, so?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"When a powerful leader is in front of journalists during a signing of a treaty and she says something, the word will be done immediate and effective, since making that statement will sound like it's part of the treaty." Yamato said.

"So you're saying that I should embarrass my own cousin while the whole world is watching us?!?" Sakura half-yelled.

"Yes! I mean, **NO**!" Yamato was confused himself, "Well, you could say that as punishment for Uchiha Sasuke, you said that you had him imprisoned for two days, and it's your choice if you really would imprison him."

"I'll think about that." Sakura nodded, "In the meantime, I need your opinion on whom should I send out to Kirigakure to train the ninjas there. It is, after all, a part of the deal. An alliance means helping out another country in need while it helps the country giving aid to it. So, we train their ninjas for the betterment of their society and they give us economic aid. However, my problem is, whom shall I send?"

"Leave that to me." Yamato smiled, "I'll go and dig the ninja bio archives for something."

Sakura heaved a sigh and smiled, "Thank goodness you're here to help me, Yamato-taichou."

"I'm glad to be of service, Roku- I mean, Sakura." Yamato bowed as he stood up, "Do you need anything else?"

Sakura shook her head and told him, "Thank you for your time. You may now go back to your routines."

Yamato bowed again and left the office.

In the Konoha Art Gallery…

Sai was now in Natsumi's secret art room. The room was quite huge. It was air conditioned, it had a small chandelier at the center of the ceiling, and it only had one huge window but it was covered with a scarlet curtain. It has a bed at a corner, a sofa on the other corner, a small refrigerator, a TV on a small table and a radio was on the same table, a shelf holding unused canvases, a desk with drawers and on it were two table lamps and a telephone, a black executive swivel chair, and a canvas tripod at the center of the room, holding an unfinished work. The wall was almost completely covered with finished paintings on canvas and sketches on huge sturdy papers. On the empty corner of the room rests new paintings on canvas.

Natsumi stood still, her back leaning on the door of the room. Her heart paced as Sai was looking at her artworks – she was nervous because this man might be more skilled than she. Sai stopped at a wall's corner. A painting sat facing the wall – all that Sai could see was the back of the canvas.

Sai turned the canvas around. The scene was a candle-lit dinner in a vast garden under the starry night sky. It was Natsumi and whom Sai assumed to be her ex who left her for nothing. Natsumi was wearing a lavender dress and a man was on his knees in front of her, holding her right hand while presenting a ring.

"_This might be the scene wherein that guy proposed marriage to her."_ Sai thought.

Sai also noticed something… there was a slight burn at the upper right corner of the canvas.

Natsumi was aware that Sai was looking at the painting she had regretted painting once. She bowed her head and said in a low voice, "You know, I tried to burn that painting."

"Why is it still here, then?" He responded.

"I guess I can't burn something that made me feel complete… he was the man I first loved. He proposed marriage to me but he left me for a silly reason." She told him.

Sai also noticed something else. Some of the other paintings beside that canvas had burned parts.

Natsumi was watching him as his eyes hovered at the wall and counted the paintings that had burned parts. Undoubtedly, there were several. Some of them were scenes of Natsumi and her ex. For the others, they were not even related to their relationship, but still had burned parts.

"I told you, right? He left me because he said that he couldn't take that I have more time to paint than to be with him. I also caught him dating another girl, who is now his wife and the mother of his child. After that bitter event, I tried to burn all the works I had created and tried to turn my back from painting. It took me months to recover and realize that I still do love art. So I guess… I lost my edge on painting and I'm trying to revive and recall how good I was then."

"So you took all these works away from the fire?" Sai asked, "You left painting for a while and lost your edge, huh? I think so… These paintings were better than your recent ones."

"I know." Natsumi tried to smile but terribly failed.

There was a brief moment of silence in between them.

"Hey, uhm… I know you're better than I am. I know you have an artist's eye. So… could you… uhm… teach me?" Natsumi blushed a bit upon saying that. It was completely awkward. She was asking this man, whom she just met now, to teach her how to paint and sketch?

"I'm a busy man." Sai replied, "You know my job."

Natsumi sighed and smiled, "Oops! I'm sorry I forgot! Well, never mind-"

"Okay." Sai smiled back, "I'll visit you when I get the time. But most probably, my free time is at night. Is it okay for you to have art sessions at night until it's late?"

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, but how about you? How would you do that? You wake up early everyday for your job, and your job is something tiring, and you have to visit me to give me a session, travel back home and get a few hours' sleep. That's unhealthy." Natsumi complained.

"It's okay because I'm interested in teaching art to someone who lost her expertise on it." Sai smiled, "You don't have to worry; I'll find a way about time."

"No, please, never mind what I said. Your job is important since it concerns the upcoming Hokage and this is just something silly."

"Silly? I don't call it that." Sai approached her and looked at her seriously, "Listen, are you willing to learn?"

"Y-Yes, but you have to get what I'm saying! Please don't teach-"

"I said I'll find a way!" Sai raised his voice a bit.

"Why are you doing this?!?!" Natsumi harangued, getting fed up, "I said it's going to be unhealthy for you! I don't want someone who just met me today to sacrifice for me b-because…! Because… the thing is, we're still strangers to each other."

"That's why I agreed to teach you." He countered, "From what I can see is that you're a stranger to yourself, too – you're just like me. If I can help you, then maybe I'll find a way to get to know myself better, too. Friends are strangers in the beginning, did you know that?"

She sighed, defeated. She smiled at him and told him, "You just don't give up, do you?"

Sai smiled back, "What's my fighting spirit for if I did?"

Natsumi commented in a whisper while a smile still played on her lips, "You stubborn bastard…"

"Hey, I heard that!" Sai placed his hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow at her while a smirk curled his lips.

Natsumi laughed heartily and told him, "Oops! Sorry!"

And he too, laughed.

_TBC…_  
--- --- --- --- ---  
**Sakura just finished reading the folder with a red seal and reached the certification page which needed her signature. She was thinking if she should sign it or not. Tsunade and Shizune visited the successor and an exchange of questions and answers ensued between the master and the apprentice. Tsunade noticed Sakura's sour mood and asked her if she had any problem.**

**Homebound, Chapter 89: **_**Taking Responsibilities**_

"_**With what you're saying right now, are you implying that we should leave Orochimaru with his craziness and just make Sasuke stay around Konoha?"**_  
**- Tsunade**

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_**A/N:**_** Wahahahaha! Sakura will be dealing with A LOT of problems concerning Uchiha Sasuke ALL IN ONE DAY!!! Isn't that ironic?!? MWAHAHAHAHA! –cough- Uh-oh… it looks like Tsunade and Sakura are gonna have a heated exchange of arguments on the next chapter! So please, stick around! XD**

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**I would also like to thank the following for availing a preview of **_**"The Perfect Specimen"**_**, one of my probable future Naruto fics. However, I'm still waiting for their feedback. I badly need them.**

**XxHotBloodySirenxX  
kimbie-animegal-saskanechi-sakyan4ever  
CherryBlossoms016  
Iluvsasukeandrobin**

**If some of you still wants to see a preview of **_**"The Perfect Specimen"**_** please state that in your review or PM me. Thanks!**

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**React by submitting a review! XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	89. Taking Responsibilities

**I know it's late, but… ****HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!**

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_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_** WHEW! It's been four months since my last update neh? Well, sorry. I told you guys, I find less and less time for this (and even for myself). I EVEN FORGOT TO UPDATE ON HOMEBOUND'S SECOND ANNIVERSARY LAST OCTOBER!!! Crap. -sigh- I feel guilty, guys. I hope you understand. T.T**

**It's been hard for me, too. I hope y'all still find the heart to read this. Fear not, the next update will be on New Year's Day. :D Hoorah!**

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_**UPDATES:**_** Well, I finally finished Chapter 91 (at long last!). I've started writing Chapter 92 and it's about to be finished and Chapter 93 will be written soon enough… uh, well, hopefully. And I just finished polishing Chapter 90. Yehey!**

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**(Chapter 89 – Taking Responsibilities)**

It was already nearing sunset and Sakura hadn't even eaten anything yet, aside from her quick breakfast this morning. All she was taking in were glasses of water. Her stomach was going to protest! All it had was water and not food. Honestly, water quenches thirst and not hunger. But right now, hunger wasn't anything for Haruno Sakura – she had piles of work to do.

She had her right hand on her temple as she read the contents of the folder with a red seal. She then turned to the next page. It was the certification page. On it were the signatures of Uchiha Sasuke and the Godaime Hokage. It also needs her signature.

Sakura sighed heavily and uncapped her pen. She paused for a while and thought if she was going to sign it or not.

Someone was knocking on her door, and in came Tsunade with Shizune.

"Why can't I see Sai around?" Tsunade asked as she flicked on the ceiling lights of the office. Well, it was about to get dark and Sakura was still reading documents. She can hurt her eyes for that.

"I told him to have a day off." Sakura sighed, "Well, no worries. Naruto is actually around to help me."

"So why isn't he here?" Shizune queried.

"I asked him to be here three hours in the morning and come back later at nightfall to do some arrangements. I told him to go home to be with his pregnant wife after he worked with me for three hours." Sakura said.

Tsunade noticed that Sakura was holding a pen and was on the certification page of the folder with the red seal.

"You seem quite troubled with that folder, Sakura." Tsunade told her student as she sat down.

"Do I deserve to be the last one to know about this?" the upcoming Rokudaime spoke in a low tone.

"No, but I just thought you weren't ready to know about these things before. Now I think you do, and now you know." The Godaime answered, "Was it a rude move?"

"It was."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"So what if it was rude?" Sakura muttered, "Can I do anything about this matter? I think not. This cannot be reversed, can it?"

"Orochimaru is still a threat to Konoha. I'm trying to eliminate him first." Tsunade countered, "The best man for the job is Uchiha Sasuke. He had been to Otogakure and had worked with Orochimaru."

"Big plans when I'm not seated as Hokage yet?" Sakura shook her head, "Do I have a choice?"

"With what you're saying right now, are you implying that we should leave Orochimaru with his craziness and just make Sasuke stay around Konoha?"

"Orochimaru cannot harm Sasuke now because I had completely removed his cursed seal, remember?"

"He is still a threat, and you must know that."

"Fine." Sakura sighed and signed the certification page of the folder, "Done." And with that, she closed the folder and handed it to Shizune.

"Did you sign the folder because you were fed up?" Tsunade asked seriously.

"Do I have a right to be fed up?" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Okay, what's the problem Sakura?" Tsunade noticed Sakura's sour mood.

Sakura laid back on her executive swivel chair and answered, "The Mizukage's asking me to punish Uchiha Sasuke for his crimes against Konoha and Kirigakure. I told the Mizukage that she will have my answer tomorrow at the contract signing of the Treaty of Eternal Alliance."

"That's it? That's the problem?" Tsunade smirked, "All right. I'll tell Sasuke to stay at the ANBU Headquarters. He will live there until the Mizukage leaves-"

"What kind of punishment is that?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, I'm not yet done!" a vein popped out of Tsunade's temple, "Tell the Mizukage that Sasuke has been locked at the ANBU Headquarters' dungeon and you will allow her to see him. However, Sakura, be noted that I already gave Uchiha Sasuke an administrative pardon, so he won't ever be locked in a dungeon. I will ask Yuuhi Kurenai to perform a perfect genjutsu that can't be cancelled by using a counter-genjutsu and something that won't be noticed by a shinobi. The genjutsu will make the Mizukage see that Uchiha Sasuke is really locked in a dungeon. Is that okay?"

"Yes." Sakura finally smiled, "I like the idea."

"Oh well, I'll be leaving now, Sakura. It was nice chatting with you." Tsunade stood up and headed towards the door, "Toodles!"

When the Hokage had left, Sakura felt a bit relieved but her head hurts as if it was going to split in half, and she was dizzy from all those documents she read. And so, she folded her arms on her desk and rested her head on them and drifted off to a peaceful nap. After all, she deserves one.

Night has fallen and there was a knock on her door. Sakura looks like she was still sleeping comfortably. The knocking continues, but still, no one answers. Assuming that the upcoming Rokudaime was too busy to answer, the person just opened the door and came in.

It was an Elite ANBU.

It was the Elite ANBU whom Sakura granted only 12 hours to report in her office in person – Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke stood in front of the sleeping successor's desk. He scanned her desk and noticed the tall pile of papers and folders, the numerous boxes full of scrolls, and dozens of books both on her table and on the floor… and of course, the upcoming Rokudaime's pink head resting on her arms.

He didn't want to wake her up because he thought it was impolite, considering that this woman had a rank much higher than he. He also thought that she might need some rest; after all, being a successor is no joke.

Another knock was made on the door and it swiftly flung open.

"Sakura-chaaaaaaaaaaan, I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!" a voice of a familiar blonde-haired jounin entered the room – it was Konoha's number one most unpredictable ninja.

Upon seeing the Elite ANBU, he asked, "Uhh… Who are you?"

After a moment of silence, the Elite ANBU told him: "Don't be too noisy, you dobe. Your boss is sleeping."

Naruto's eyes widened and he pointed a finger at Sasuke, "GAAAAH!!! SASUKE-TEME!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!?!"

"NARUTO, YOU DOBE!!! SHUT THE HELL UP!!!!" finally, the successor awoke and threw a book at him. Sakura was always grumpy when she just wakes up.

Naruto wasn't able to evade the book on time, so he got hit on his head got a lump for it. He rubbed his aching lump and shouted back, "WHY AM I ALWAYS THE DOBE?!?!"

"DON'T COMPLAIN!!! IT'S JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE!" Sakura showed a fist with a vein popping out of her temple.

Knowing that her hair was in a mess, she took off the hair chopsticks that were holding her pastel locks in a bun. Now her hair cascaded down past her shoulder blades.

Sasuke coughed in order for his presence to be known.

And it was effective.

Sakura blushed a little because of her impulsive behavior, knowing that it was improper.

Uchiha Sasuke bowed in front of the successor to show a sign of respect and greeting, "Good evening, Rokudaime-san."

"Naruto, please leave my office for a while. This concerns legal matters." Sakura, for the first time since she woke up from her nap, asked nicely of Naruto.

Naruto grinned and nodded, "Okay then!"

And off he left.

"I believe I'm not behind the 12-hour deadline you gave me." Sasuke spoke as he removed his mask so Sakura would believe that this is him, in the flesh. He didn't want her to think that he asked another Elite ANBU to send the folders to her and just used the Henge no Jutsu. **(Henge no Jutsu: Transformation Technique)**

"You made it." Sakura just stated back.

_TBC…_  
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**Sakura knows that she is stuck in complicated situations because of the intentions of Tsunade and Kashime; and these revolve around one person – Uchiha Sasuke. However, why does she hesitate? What is it that stops her from doing what is originally planned of her to do?**

**Find out: **_**Moments**_

"_**Have you forgotten a question? Do you have other plans for me to cause you this hesitation?"**_  
**- Uchiha Sasuke**

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_**A/N:**_**Thanks for all those who reviewed the last chapter and all those who have read this chapter! The next chapter will be a LONGER one!**

**Anyway, I want to thank the following for reading the preview fic of **_**"The Perfect Specimen"**_

**itachi-is-mine  
xDiz azn ShortieZx  
xXFreak-headXx  
Darkened Immortal  
Sakra-chan  
reader-not-a-reviewer  
Kawaii IceCream**

**If some of you still wants to see a preview of **_**"The Perfect Specimen"**_** please state that in your review or PM me. Thanks!**

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** Reviews are good Christmas gifts for me! Hehe!**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	90. Moments

**Talk about a very late greeting, eh? ****HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!**

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_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_** Well, in the most misfortunes, my CPU's a bit broken so yeah, I'm unable to update on the promised date which was January 1. SORRY!****It might take quite a while for the next chapter, but please stay put. As a gift, this chapter is a bit longer. Hoorah!**

**Without any further ado…**

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**(From the last chapter...)**

Uchiha Sasuke bowed in front of the successor to show a sign of respect and greeting, "Good evening, Rokudaime-san."

"Naruto, please leave my office for a while. This concerns legal matters." Sakura, for the first time since she woke up from her nap, asked nicely of Naruto.

Naruto grinned and nodded, "Okay then!"

And off he left.

"I believe I'm not behind the 12-hour deadline you gave me." Sasuke spoke as he removed his mask so Sakura would believe that this is him, in the flesh. He didn't want her to think that he asked another Elite ANBU to send the folders to her and just used the Henge no Jutsu. **(Henge no Jutsu: Transformation Technique)**

"You made it." Sakura just stated back.

**(Chapter 90 – Moments)**

"Of course I did." Sasuke said almost sarcastically.

"I hope you're not thinking that I'm taking this case personally." Sakura stared at the Uchiha, and she pointed at the book of the ANBU Constitution, "This matter is in that book. This is a standard procedure."

"I understand." Sasuke replied and handed over the two folders.

She turned the page to the certification page and asked, "Do you, Uchiha Sasuke, guarantee that you will take full responsibility of the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade, which will be transferred under your leadership?"

"I do."

"Do you hereby swear that, as your designation as an Elite ANBU Brigade Captain, you will stay calm and collected so you could concentrate on what is needed to be done?"

"I do."

"Do you promise that you will not abuse your authority as the Brigade Captain?"

"I do."

"Do you certify that you will abide the rules stated in the ANBU Constitution?"

"I do."

"Are you willing to be transferred?"

There was a slight pause before Sasuke could answer and finally, he spoke: "I am."

"I know that this transfer was a discretion made by Tsunade-sama. That means that others were transferred beyond their will and you were promoted for Tsunade-sama's personal intentions. Can you handle a bigger responsibility now?" Sakura asked seriously.

"I can." Sasuke eyed her.

Sakura sighed and shook her head. She grabbed her pen and thought, _"After all… I couldn't do anything about this now. Tsunade-sama and Kashime had placed me in a place where I can't move at all… this sucks, really. It seems like I have all the initial power, but the truth is-"_

"Were my answers unsatisfactory, Rokudaime-san?" Sasuke monotonously asked, interrupting Sakura's thoughts.

"Excuse me?"

"_It hurts…"_ Sakura's thought pounded in her head.

"It seems like you're hesitating to sign the certification pages." Sasuke's eyes looked at Sakura's hold on the uncapped pen.

"_It really hurts…"_

"Have you asked everything that you wanted to ask me, Rokudaime-san?" Sasuke told her, "Have you forgotten a question? Do you have other plans for me to cause you this hesitation?"

"_Why does it hurt so much?"_ she thought.

Sakura glared at Sasuke and answered, "I believe that you don't have a right to bother my thoughts, yes?"

"I apologize for disturbing you, Rokudaime-san. However, I only wanted to know if you think that I'm not worthy to move in to my new brigade."

"_My heat beats loudly… and it hurts so much. Why is this happening?"_

"How impatient and impolite." She murmured as she uncapped her pen and signed on the certification pages of both folders. She then handed them back to Sasuke.

"You got what you want. Now leave." Sakura told half-harshly.

The raven-haired man bowed to her and put on his mask as he headed for the door. When he had left, Naruto entered her office once again.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto called, "let's go."

"It's not yet time to go home, Naruto. I still have things to do." Sakura sighed. It was evident that she was so tired. Her eyes looked sore and weary, too.

"I didn't say we were going home!" Naruto grinned, "An office attendant told me all you had was water and tea – no lunch, no dinner. Sakura-chan, if you want to make it through this night still alive, let's go!"

"Fine, fine." Sakura stood up, "Go where?"

Naruto had a big grin and winked, "Guess where!"

A few minutes later…

"Gee, I didn't know you were gonna take me here." Sakura smiled, "It's been a while since I last ate here!"

Teuchi placed the large bowls of ramen in front of them, saying, "One beef ramen for Naruto and one spicy chicken ramen for Sakura- I mean, Rokudaime-san!"

Sakura whispered, "If I'm not in a crowd, please address me as Sakura."

Teuchi nodded and told her, "Still not used to being called 'Rokudaime', huh?"

Sakura remembered Yamato saying the same thing. She just smiled and took a pair of chopsticks, saying: "Naruto, let's eat!"

"All right!" Naruto slurped as he ate some ramen and continued, "And since you've been working extra hard today, all we're eating is my treat!"

Sakura stared at her bubbly friend and teammate, "You don't have to-"

"Ayame-neechan! Can Sakura-chan have some extra spicy seafood dumplings and a cup of your 'sparkling' green tea? Thanks a bunch!" Naruto yelled while his mouth is full.

"Okay!" Ayame replied.

Sakura whacked Naruto and scolded, "Don't talk when your mouth is full, dobe! And did I say something like that?!?"

The blonde rubbed his head and sheepishly laughed, "Ehehe, sorry Sakura-chan. But c'mon! I rarely invite someone for a treat! And else, you must be really hungry! After all, no lunch and no dinner is**SUICIDE**, I tell you!"

She smiled and spoke: "Thanks, Naruto."

Ayame placed a cup of green tea and a rectangular saucer containing the dumplings beside Sakura's bowl.

"Here you go! I also added wasabi paste on the side, just in case you want your dumplings spicier than it already is." Ayame told Sakura.

"Thank you, Ayame-san." The green-eyed lady smiled.

Sakura started eating as well.

After a few more minutes…

Sakura was about to finish her bowl of ramen, while Naruto slurps the soup of his third bowl.

"Gee Naruto, you look hungrier than I am." Sakura sweatdropped.

"Well, what can I say?" Naruto grinned as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "Ichiraku Ramen is **THE BEST**!"

"So what are you trying to say?" Sakura said in a pessimistic tone, "You scowl when you eat Hinata's ramen?"

"What? NO!" Naruto yelled, "Of course not! I **love** Hinata-chan's ramen, too!"

Sakura chuckled at Naruto.

Silence.

"Neh, Naruto." Sakura called as she stared at her cup of tea, "Are you mad at me?"

Naruto was shocked. He stared at her, wide-eyed.

"What made you say that, Sakura-chan?" Naruto replied.

"I stole your dream of becoming the Rokudaime." She answered, "That's your dream, right? You were so determined to be the next Hokage, but… here I am now, I'm going to be the next one, and not you. You must've told yourself, 'that backstabbing Haruno Sakura, she stole my dream!'…you must be really angry at me."

Naruto looked at her with calm eyes. Her weary emerald orbs glisten with tears threatening to fall.

"Sometimes I curse myself, 'I'm not supposed to be doing this! That stupid dobe should be the one reading all this and signing all that! He's the one who's supposed to be attending here and visiting there! Why is this happening to me?!?' …but then, I end up still doing the things I'm required to do because it was expected of me…" Sakura still fights her tears, "I couldn't do anything about it. I hated it. I never wanted to become the Rokudaime, but still… there are people who believe in me and tell me that I'm the next big thing after Tsunade-sama… Whenever I hear that, I want to yell at them and tell them to stop, but I can't… because I'm supposed to be a standard of moral values. Damn it!"

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto murmured as he saw Sakura no longer capable of controlling her tears and cried.

Naruto smiled and spoke, "No."

Sakura looked at him and asked, "What…?"

"No, I'm not angry at you." Naruto told her, "I admit, when it was announced that you were going to be the next Hokage, at first, I was very angry, but then, it all faded away… because I know you're far more deserving for the title than I am. After all, **you are** Tsunade-baachan's apprentice."

Naruto took out his handkerchief and wiped Sakura's tears, "I was amazed when you showcased your strength after defeating Sai, Yamato-taichou, and his whole elite ANBU squad. I was even worried that you might get killed when Sasuke thought of using his Chidori on you. I'm glad you made it through. I'm really happy for you, Sakura-chan."

"But Naruto! What about your dream-"

"I have a new dream now." Naruto grinned, "I want to make my wife happy and become a good father to my child, and possibly, in the near future, children… and if I go a little farther into the future, become a good grandpa to my grandkids. Aside from all that, I want to be a good advisor to you… and whenever that stupid Sai's not around, I want to be a useful assistant to you."

"You will achieve all that for sure, Naruto." That made Sakura smile and nod, "Thank you…"

"So Sakura-chan, never give up and never say that you're not fit for the title. You very much are worthy to be called Rokudaime Hokage, one of the most powerful ninjas who had ever lived." Naruto posed thumbs up, with a toothy grin and a wink, otherwise known as the 'Good Guy' pose, originated by Maito Gai.

Sakura stood up and 'commanded', "Oi Naruto! Pay the bill! Let's go back now. We still have some work to do."

"What?!?!" Naruto panicked and looked frantically in his pockets for his wallet, "Yeah! Hey! Wait up! Oh, wait… Ayame-neechan, how much is the bill?"

"Hurry up, Naruto! I'm leaving you!" Sakura yelled.

"SAKURA-CHAN!!! PLEASE WAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIITTTT!!!"

_TBC…  
_-------  
**Sakura indeed had too much in a day. The encounter with Sasuke does not end her day there. A relic from her past haunts her memories. Then, she prays that no voice from the grave will be whining in deepest disappointment.**

**Next, on Homebound: **_**Apologies and Regrets**_

"_**I don't know if I feel sorry for myself because I suffer because of loneliness today."**_  
**- Haruno Sakura**

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_**A/N:**_** The next chapter will be a SONGFIC. Yey! The song which will be used for the next chapter is entitled **_**Aishisugite**_** by Jpop band Chemistry. You can have it downloaded for free through this link (just type it in, fanfiction dot net filters out links and emails given within fanfictions):**

**Triple W dot savefile dot com slash files slash 1302499.**

**Just scroll downwards and click download. You can also check out my profile in fanfiction dot net (just click my name above) for the direct link.**

**Should you have any problem with the link, give me a click through PM. ;)**

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**Reviews… Reviews… Oh reviews…**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	91. Apologies and Regrets

_**DISCLAIMER**__**:**_** I do not own Naruto. I also do not own the song **_**Aishisugite**_** by Chemistry.

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**

_**PLEASE READ THIS CRAPOLOGY:**_** Why is it called crapology? Well, practically because I know it will just be one crap of an apology. T.T **

**WAAAAH!!! I'M SORRY ALREADY!!! T.T YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE ANNOYED BY THE FACT THAT I DON'T UPDATE??? HEY! ME TOO! THE PRESSURE'S ON ME!!! I'M SO SORRY!!! T.T Huhuhuhu. *sniff, sniff***

**It's been about a couple of years since I last updated this fic. Ever since I stepped onto college, I've become VERY, VERY, VERY, ****VERY**** BUSY. Hell yeah. I think my last update was when I was a senior in high school. Well, I'm a sophomore in college now. I'm currently taking up a Bachelor in Science degree, major in Psychology. And Psychology is not easy stuff! T.T**

**I'm also an academic scholar and I'm on consistent Dean's List status, so I have to maintain my grades, therefore, I have to study harder. I have also joined three (3) organizations in college. In short, I have less (if not no) time to write. T.T**

**I miss the fanfiction world. I miss you guys. I really do. So please accept my apology, okay? Pretty please? Please understand.**

**AND YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT MY APOLOGY! YESTERDAY'S MY 18****TH**** BIRTHDAY! YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO! T.T

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**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_** Okay, with that crapology done, let's get it on with this. So this is a songfic. I used the song **_**Aishisugite**_** (translation: "I Love You Too Much") by Chemistry. I would really recommend that you look for this song and listen to it while reading this fanfic to set the mood. Okie dokie? :D

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**

_**OTHER RELEASES OF THE AUTHOR TODAY:**_

**Deimos Swing:**

**This is my first fanfiction attempt for Cowboy Bebop. It will be a multi-chaptered fanfiction. The pair will be Spike X Faye. Chapter 1 is up. The chapter title is **_**Full Moon's Jive**_**. See you there, space cowboy! :D**

**Blue Moon:**

**This is my first songfic oneshot attempt at NaruHina for Naruto. So to all the NaruHina fans out there, please don't forget to read this fic! :D**

**--- The author's crap ends here. On with the fic… ---**

**

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(Chapter 91 – Apologies and Regrets)**

"Gah! I'm so worn out!" Naruto exclaimed as he finally landed on a sofa in Sakura's office, "I didn't know you have so much paperwork to deliver!"

"Yeah, I have to get all those signed documents delivered before daybreak. This job is kind of nasty, you know?" Sakura sighed as she sank herself onto her comfortable swivel chair, "So, if this is the life of the successor, what more would the life of a Hokage be? I mean, I work my ass off all day long, barely having breaks just to get the job done, and then I stay up late to deliver the documents to the various offices, and then I get a bit of sleep, then I wake up early and do the same crap again. Sheesh!"

"I wonder how Sai does these things!"

"Well, he never left my side." Sakura answered, "As soon as I finished signing the documents, he gets them, sorts them according to the offices, and gets going. When he returns, he always brings a tea set and snacks for me."

"Wow, he's so thoughtful." He replied, "It must be because you two had a relationship before, huh?"

"We're very good friends now." The successor smiled, "Sometimes he's the one who gets angry whenever I insist to help him deliver the last documents late at night. He always tells me to go home and get some sleep and to leave the rest to him. I'm stubborn and I don't do so. But when he gives me those cold glares, I do as he says. I never received complains from others about his job."

"You're starting to make me feel like a bum proxy assistant, Sakura-chan." Naruto pouted.

Sakura giggled and said, "Ah! No, no! I didn't mean it that way, Naruto! Sorry."

"I just used bunshins to get the deliveries done quickly. I wonder if he uses his ink bunshins or his ink pets or something." Naruto stood up and stretched up his arms, "Well, you should go home now, Sakura-chan. It's an hour past midnight and you still have to wake up early for the contract signing with your cousin."

"I will be going home in just a short while. I just want to rest here for a bit. You can go first. Hinata-chan might be staying up late waiting for you. It's not healthy for a pregnant woman to stay up all night and wait anxiously for her husband to come home, you know."

"Oh crap!"

"What?"

"Yes! I'll be going now! I forgot to buy Hinata-chan's strawberries, oranges, bananas, apples, kiwis, mangoes, blueberry cheesecakes, vanilla puffs, and mega-chocolate cake! Oh nooooo!" Naruto reached in his pockets for a long list of his wife's 'I Wants'.

"Well, those are quite a lot to crave for." Sakura motioned her hand to the door, "So why are you still standing there? I know there's a fruit store that's open 24-7 near the Yamanaka Flower Shop. A patisserie is also open 24-7 just two blocks away from there. You better get going before you experience the wrath of a mood swing from Hinata-chan."

"Yes! Thanks for the info, Sakura-chan! Goodnight!" And with that, Naruto left.

Sakura sighed heavily from being stressed out and sank more into her chair. She spotted a scroll on her desk and reached for it. She took a good look at it and rolled her eyes, _"Damn it, I forgot to return this in the Hokage's Library a while ago. Well, I should go home. I'm going to pass by the Hokage's Library on my way out of here, anyway."_

Sakura stood up with the scroll in her hand and reached for her clipboard on the bookshelf near her desk. She switched off the lights in her office before leaving it completely.

She entered the Hokage's Library and preceded to the last shelf for scrolls. There, she placed the scroll in its proper shelf. Then she remembered something.

"_I know I hid a box here containing some of my possessions. I wonder if the librarian ever found out?"_ She thought.

She crawled on the floor and found a seal paper behind one of the shelf's legs. She made a handseal and muttered, "Genjutsu Kai." **(Genjutsu Kai: Genjutsu Cancel)**

The genjutsu wore off and a black box's silhouette appeared. She reached for it and opened it.

Inside the box were three scrolls, a set of acupuncture needles – which was a gift from Shizune, a set of scalpels – which was a gift from Tsunade, an indie manga from Naruto, and… an item which made her freeze up – a small royal blue-colored box with the Uchiha Seal on it.

_Kako wo shinobu hitotoki sae  
Mune ni yadoru omoi irozuki  
Ima no jikan monokuroomu ni some agete iku_

_(Even one moment that recollects the past)  
(Paints the feelings lodged inside my heart)  
(This time right now is being dyed monochrome)_

Sakura reached for that small box and opened it with cold hands. Her eyes narrowed and were glassy.

"_No! No! Don't cry!"_ Sakura shook her head furiously, _"Damn it, you're not going to cry again!"_

She reached for the content of the box – a golden necklace with the Uchiha symbol as its pendant, and there were pearls sandwiching the pendant in between.

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**--- FLASHBACK ---**

They were paying a visit to Sasuke's parents' graves. It was then when Sasuke handed the gift to Sakura.

"What's this?" Sakura asked in surprise and gladness as she looked at the necklace, "For me?"

Sasuke nodded, "That was my father's gift to my mother. He did it in exchange of her hand in marriage."

Sakura's eyes widened, "Sasuke-kun, are you-"

"Marry me, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura couldn't stop her tears from falling.

"_So we visited his parents to ask for their approval?"_ Sakura thought.

Sakura suddenly hugged Sasuke and exclaimed happily, "Yes! Yes! Yes, Sasuke-kun! I will marry you!"

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---

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**

_Sora to umi ga chikai tokoro  
Yoru to asa ga kasanaru toki  
Kimi wa boku no ude no naka de namida koboshita_

_(The place where the sky and ocean are near)  
(The time when night and morning overlap)  
(In my arms, you spilled your tears)_

Sakura gritted her teeth and tears were falling, "I'm so stupid! Getting all giddy to marry him like that before! It's ridiculous! I can't believe I did that!"

She carefully returned the necklace into the box and shoved the box away from her.

"_I'm so stupid! Stupid!"_ Sakura thought, _"After all that he did to me, this village, to my friends, to my cousin, to Kirigakure…? I never should've trusted a traitor in the first place! Damn it!"_

When she regained herself, Sakura closed the black box and put up a genjutsu again. She stared at the blue box and sighed. She grabbed it and looked at it.

"_I'm sorry…"_

She took it with her and made her way out of the Hokage Tower. She was staring at the box the whole time, not knowing where here feet takes her.

… She didn't know she was already entering a secluded territory in Konoha.

_Toki ga sugite ima sara nante wakatteru kedo  
Kore kara mo kimi no te no nukumori ga wasurerarezu ni_

_(Time flies by too fast — I realize this too late)  
(From now on, so that I don't forget the warmth of your hand)_

She continued walking until she sat under a tree on top of a small hill in a cemetery. When the moon's rays struck at her eyes, she then noticed that she was already in front of the graves of Uchiha Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku – the murdered parents of Uchiha Sasuke.

She bowed her head and knelt in front of their graves as a sign of respect. She smiled and told them, "It's been a while, Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha."

She bit her lips and continued, "You know? I'm going to be the next Hokage. I'm already having difficulties with my job, but I guess it's what I'll have to face when I finally take my seat to reign over this village."

"Your son Sasuke? I bet he's doing just fine. He's the new team captain of the 7th Elite ANBU Brigade… he's also going to be in an S-Class mission by the time I become the Rokudaime Hokage. Other than that, the Mizukage wants him punished for his crimes against Kirigakure."

_Aishisugite mou modorenakute  
Oh aishisugite furueteta te ni  
Aishisugite nukumori dake ga_

_Oh aishisugite_

_(I love you too much that I can no longer return)  
(Oh, I love you too much, in that quivering hand)  
(I love you too much, just that warmth)  
(Oh, I love you too much)_

"I… I don't know." Sakura told them, "I don't know if I want him to go on the day I get officially seated as Hokage. I don't know if I want to work with him because he's an Elite ANBU Brigade Captain. And of course, all ANBUs work directly under my power, so I know that there will be numerous instances wherein I would have to deal with him. I don't know if I want him punished because my cousin said so. I don't know… I really don't know…"

Sakura started crying, "I don't know if I still love him like I did before… Times surely have changed, Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha… before your son proposed marriage to me, he was an ex-convict, guilty of treason, and I was a medic, a promising student of Tsunade-sama... look at us now… he is an Elite ANBU, even a captain of a brigade at that, and me… I am about to be one of the most powerful leaders in the world. I don't know if I feel sorry for myself because I suffer of loneliness today. I don't know if I regret anything because it seems like I lost my heart. I felt like my chest has been ripped open and my heart was torn apart, leaving me feeling empty… I don't know if I hate your son or have any capacity to feel such. I don't know if Sasuke hates me as well… I don't know… I don't know!"

"I am confused… Whenever I see him, hate fills my heart… whenever I don't see him, I feel like I'm missing out something… whenever I hear his name, or anything related to him, I want to hear so much about him… whenever I hear him though, I want to make him shut up… What is happening to me? Why is this happening to me? I really don't know."

_Kimi no suki na kotoba naraba  
Ima mo ieru hitotsu nokorazu  
Boku no namae soko ni aru to shinjitai kedo  
Nami ga hakobu kigiretachi wa  
Kishi ni tsukezu samayou dake  
Moshimo ima ga ano toki nara... aishisugite_

_(Even now, I can say all your favorite words — every single one)  
(I want to believe that my name is one of them, but…)  
(The pieces of wood that the waves carry just float about, not even hitting rocks)  
(If right now it was then… I love you too much)_

"I… I think I should return this to the both of you." Sakura placed the box of the necklace on the base of their gravestones, "I don't believe I'm worthy to be married into this clan. I don't believe that I have any rights to still keep this with me. I am returning this necklace to its rightful owners… and those are you, Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha."

Sakura tried to hold back the tears that continue spilling from her eyes, but it was no use.

"When I saw this necklace, my memories with Sasuke from the past have haunted me… and I don't want that to happen again." Sakura wiped her tears, "He and I could never be fated. Our world has been torn apart and we should go our own separate ways. We have our obligations and we should stay loyal to those, and we have to put those on first priority. With that, I have decided… that I should detach myself from Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura wiped the last of her tears and faked a smile, like she always did, and said: "I think I have said everything, Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha. I apologize for breaking your son's heart, if I ever I really did. Well then, I believe that I have no more right to stay in this territory for long. So I should be leaving now."

Sakura bowed and said a prayer for the dead before standing up and bowing to them in respect. Then, she went her way.

_Hito wa itsumo owatta koi ni yume wo miru kedo  
Kono mune no honoo wa mada kusuburi, oh…_

_(People always see dreams of a love that ended, but)  
(The flame inside this heart is still smoldering, oh)_

… Not knowing that the only caretaker of that territory had listened to her talking to his parents.

Uchiha Sasuke stopped hiding his chakra and leapt down from the tree where Sakura had sat under a while ago.

He picked up the box of the necklace, of which he gave to Sakura upon stating his marriage proposal to her some time in their past. He bit his lips and disappeared in thin air.

----

"Strolling around at this late hour, Rokudaime-san?" a masculine voice caught Sakura's attention and this had stopped her in her tracks.

"Am I not allowed to see the condition of this ghost town, in this part of **my** village?" Sakura answered, supposing her authority.

_Tooi tokoro ni iru kimi no moto ni  
Yobikaesu boku no koe wa  
Kurikaesu boku no koe wa  
Doko ni iru no ima no kimi no moto ni  
Omoi wo, omoi wo tsutaetakute_

_(In that faraway place where you are)  
(My voice calls out to you)  
(My voice repeats again and again)  
(Where are you?)  
(I want to convey my feelings to where you are right now)_

"Even with your high rank, Rokudaime-san, I believe that you are forbidden to enter this private territory without my consent." Sasuke appeared before her from out of the shadows of an abandoned house.

Sakura's eyes squinted, "I sense pessimism in your _polite_ talks with me. I also sensed this when you were in my office a while ago, but I shrugged it off because I thought you were stressed out. But this? I don't believe that this is anywhere part of your stress, Uchiha-taichou." **(**_**A/N**_**: Taichou means "Captain" in Nihonggo, like Yamato-taichou)**

"It doesn't mean that you have a higher rank than I do entitle you to disrespectfully talk to me like that." Sasuke retorted, "Don't you think you're a bit too abusive with your rank?"

"Please don't waste my time. I have to go home and rest. Tomorrow is an important day, don't you know? I believe you must know. After all, you're a **captain**, right?"

Sakura started walking, and when she had already walked past him, Sasuke called, "Sakura."

The successor stopped on her tracks, "What did you call me? I believe that you must call me _Rokudaime-san_, don't you think?"

Sasuke held his breath at that statement and sighed, "Rokudaime-san."

_Aishisugite hikimodosenakute  
Oh aishisugite fure aeta te ni  
Aishisugite yasashisa dake ga  
Oh aishisugite, aishisugite_

_(I love you too much, but I can't force you back)  
(Oh, I love you too much, that hand that I touched)  
(I love you too much, just your kindness)  
(Oh, I love you too much, I love you too much)_

The Uchiha reasoned, "Your apartment is too far away from here. You only have a few hours left to sleep and it will take you some time to get there. Why don't you stay here for the night? As an ANBU, it is also one of my duties to see to it that my superior is well. I insist that you rest here."

Sakura glared at him and told him, "N-No, I'll be fine."

"Then at least allow me to escort you safely to your abode, Rokudaime-san." Sasuke talked formally, "As an Elite ANBU, part of my job is to assure your safety. I sense that you are already sleepy, and you are not sober enough to make it to your home-"

"Uchiha-taichou." Sakura interrupted, "I thank you for offering your services, but I'm fine. Now leave me be. Goodnight."

At that, Sakura walked away.

"_Do I not stand a chance at all?"_ Sasuke thought as he stared at Sakura's back, _"Before, you hated staring at my back whenever I was leaving… Now I know why you hated that feeling… because right now, as I stare at your back and you walk away from me, I feel like you're completely walking out of my life."_

_Aishisugite mou modorenakute  
Oh aishisugite furueteta te ni  
Aishisugite nukumori dake ga  
Oh aishisugite, oh aishisugite_

_(I love you too much that I can no longer return)  
(Oh, I love you too much, in that quivering hand)  
(I love you too much, just that warmth)  
(Oh, I love you too much, oh, I love you too much)_

"_Being a Hokage is…"_ Sakura thought as tears silently spilled from her eyes once more, _"something I will regret for the rest of my life… as for hating you now, Sasuke-kun… I will both cherish this and regret it. I am crushing the world that I had before… along with that, I'll freeze my heart that beats for you. I need to be strong… for Konoha. This is my punishment for having loved you too much… without even having to think twice about it."_

_TBC…_

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**Sakura's health fails due to stress. Sai, as of the meantime, would have to nurse Sakura back to health as mandated by Tsunade. Neji notices that something is wrong with his wife Tenten. Yamato starts the search for the jounins to be sent to Kirigakure, however, he stumbles upon the profile of a person who already gave up the shinobi way of life. Kashime summons her ancestors for advice – of which has left her confused instead. Sasuke hears of Sakura's condition from Shizune. All problems on possibly all persons involved. What exactly happened?**

**Find out on Homebound Chapter 92: **_**Difficulties**_

"_**I apologize on the part of Sakura. Perhaps I'm also somehow to be blamed since I do not persuade her to take a rest."**_

**- Sai

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**

_**A/N:**_** Funny how young I was when I started this fic. I was only 14 years old when I started writing this fic and released it here. I'm now 18 years old and I still haven't ended it. To all those who stuck around long enough, to all those who were already there since I started this fic and still enthusiastically and patiently awaited this update, how could I ever thank you? You guys are the ones who give me so much inspiration to push this fic through. Thank you so much. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, very, very much.**

**So how was it? Was it okay? Tell me!**

**For your comments and suggestions (if any), please hit the review button!**

**Love lots,**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	92. Difficulties

_**UPDATES:**_** Just finished writing chapters 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, and 98. Finished editing them all, too. I was ****so**** inspired to write, THANKS TO YOU, FELLAS!!! I might be writing Chapter 99 soon, but I have to focus on my Midterm Exams this week first.**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_** Yes, yes, yes!!! Because you were all so good to me, here's the newest chapter of Homebound. Can I have some good cheers? :]**

**Can't really promise an update on a weekly basis. Probably at about 2-4 weeks interval. Hope you guys can put up with that. ;]**

**I would be taking my Midterm Exams this week, so wish me luck. I'm gonna need plenty of it, I swear!!! O.o**

**Oh, and I didn't do any final editing on this one. But I did have it edited about twice or thrice before. I was lazy to read it again, so I guess (and hope) that this is okay enough.**

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**(Chapter 92 – Difficulties)**

"Yes, Tsunade-sama, I understand."

"Really, Sakura's pushing too hard on herself." Tsunade told Sai.

Tsunade was at Sai's place.

"I apologize on the part of Sakura. Perhaps I'm also somehow to be blamed since I do not persuade her to take a rest." Sai bowed.

Tsunade smiled, "You? Apologizing for someone else?"

Tsunade snickered, "Well, I guess there's no malice in that. After all, you and Sakura were lovers before."

"That was **before**, Tsunade-sama." Sai smiled, "I apologized for her because she is my friend."

Tsunade nodded, "I see. Anyway, please give the medicines I've prescribed. The intake schedules are on the bedside table, and so are her medicines. Please take care of her."

"Of course, Tsunade-sama." Sai told her, "Anything else?"

"None." Tsunade answered, "I should get going now."

"Farewell, Tsunade-sama." Sai then escorted Tsunade to the front door.

Sai went upstairs to check on Sakura.

He gently opened the door to her bedroom and got in. He sat by her bed and sighed, _"You ugly hag, if I didn't see you last night, who knows the bigger trouble that you might have gotten into?"_

**--- FLASHBACK ---**

"_Sakura?"_ Sai saw Sakura walking on the road, perhaps on her way home. He was on his way home, too. He was going the other way where Sakura was heading.

He was drawing nearer to Sakura. He flashed a smile at her and waved, "Hey there! Going home, Sakura?"

However, Sakura didn't return the smile. She didn't reply to him.

His smile disappeared when he saw that Sakura was actually panting and that her eyes were almost closing already.

THUD!

She collapsed.

"Sakura!"

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

Meanwhile…

"Tenten." Neji called his wife who was still soundly asleep. Also, Tenten was clutching a pillow on her head.

Neji sighed, _"She's always sleeping until late in the morning. She does not want to be bothered when she's sleeping, that's why she's been constantly late for work for the past two weeks."_

Neji's already dressed up and ready for work, however his wife obviously is not.

"Tenten, it's time for work." He told her.

Alas, to no avail.

He just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, _"I certainly can't just let her go on to be late for work or else she'll get fired."_

Neji then vigorously shook her by the shoulders saying, "Tenten wake up!"

She groaned and threw a pillow at him, "Cut it out!"

She then reached for the pillow beside her (which was Neji's pillow) and clutched it tightly on her head. She curled up and pulled on the blanket until it was tucked under her chin.

Neji placed the pillow, which was thrown to him earlier, on his side of the bed.

He was watching her until he noticed that she was panting. This alarmed him.

"Tenten, are you okay?" Neji panicked. He gently removed the pillow away from her tight and trembling grip.

There, he saw his wife had a feverish blush on her cheeks, beads of sweat were forming on her forehead, she was pale, and her eyes were tightly closed.

Abruptly, she sat up and her hands flew to her mouth. She stood up and ran to the bathroom.

She vomited.

"Tenten!" Neji yelled and went to check on his wife.

At the Konoha Shinobi Archives at the reserved center in the first basement of the ANBU Headquarters…

Yamato opened the folder of a document which he got from a file cabinet in the archives.

Stored in the archives are the documents of all who were and all who are ninjas. This is the safekeeping of the data of those Konoha shinobi who have died, missing, those who are great, those who are on low profile, who have retired, who have quitted, and up to those who are still ninjas of today. They are categorized according to their status as abovementioned, and also according to their years.

Right now, Yamato is in Section E Aisle 16. This section is for the ninjas who have quitted. Aisle 16 is for the ninjas who have reached the jounin level and had quitted within the last 1-3 years.

Yamato is doing what he had promised of Sakura – to look for ninjas who will be sent to Kirigakure.

"Hmm. Hokoujin Natsumi." Yamato whispered, "Had surrendered her jounin license upon receiving it two years ago. She was a long-range jutsu specialist and an exceptional spy. She was recommended to join the Elite ANBU forces, but she declined."

"Her father is Hokoujin Akito." Yamato continued, "A jounin who retired early. Her mother is Ishii-Hokoujin Chihiro, also a jounin who had an early retirement."

He tipped his chin and decided, "Good enough."

At an underground cavern in the outskirts of Konoha…

"Ancestors, I am here." A voice echoed throughout the candle-lit cavern.

Haruno Kashime was kneeling in front of a wall that had a painting of a blue circle and a white circle intertwined. She had been earlier informed that her conference with Sakura had been cancelled because the latter got sick.

The wall on her left had a blue circle painted and along the top of this wall, at around a foot before it touches the roof, there were several pedestals lined up with names written on white rectangular stones. The wall on her right had a white circle painted on it and it also had pedestals lined up along it, with the names written on white rectangular stones as well.

She was in the ancestral cavern of the old Haruno Clan. In here, the spirits of the deceased members of the clan rest.

On the floor before her was a huge wooden board with different kanji letters engraved on it. Underneath each kanji letter are three small holes. There were three porcelain bowls beside the wooden board.

Kashime had lit incenses and placed her hands together in prayer.

"Ancestors, I am here to ask you some questions."

She placed her hand on the first porcelain bowl and had drawn a small, rectangular, wooden tile. On it was engraved in kanji, "Three."

It means that she can only ask three questions.

Kashime paused for a while and said, "As a member of the Blue Circle, am I doing the right thing for a member of the White Circle, Haruno Sakura?"

She reached for the second porcelain bowl and drawn another small wooden tile with the kanji, "No."

Kashime's eyes widened. The ancestors said no. To her, it means that she was disappointing the ancestors and that she has failed as a member of the Haruno Blue Circle.

She prayed again and then followed, "Then what am I supposed to do to make things right?"

She placed her hands firmly on the third bowl. Inside the third porcelain bowl were small, spherical stones. They were only painted in two colors: black and white. There seems to be more black stones than white ones.

Kashime closed her eyes and threw the contents of the third bowl on the huge wooden board before her. She patiently waited, her eyes still closed in prayer, until she heard that there were no more stones rolling.

She gently placed the porcelain bowl down before opening her eyes to see the board. She looked for the holes beneath the kanji letters that had white stones. And there, she found the word "Forgive," spelled on the board.

Her eyes narrowed, _"Forgive? Forgive who?"_

She prayed once more and then asked her last question, "Is it Sakura whom I must forgive?"

She reached for the second porcelain bowl and had drawn a wooden tile that says, "No."

Now, that answer made her think.

"_No? If it is not Sakura whom I must forgive, then who?"_

She wished to ask another question, but saw that her incenses had been lit off. The spirits of the ancestors had already left.

At the ANBU Headquarters…

"I thought I'm supposed to stay here until the Mizukage and Rokudaime-san have signed the treaty?" asked Uchiha Sasuke.

"Well, Sakura got sick." Shizune replied.

Sasuke just stared back at her. Shizune seemingly understood what that glare meant.

"She went home late and collapsed on her way home." The Godaime Hokage's assistant replied, "Luckily, Sai, who was also on his way home, saw her immediately and took her to his home. We allowed him since his home was much closer than Sakura's. Sakura needed attention immediately. She has influenza."

"_That's why I was offering her to stay at the Uchiha compound last night. I also offered to escort her home, but I was denied. I already knew she was tired yet she denied my offers."_ Sasuke thought, who felt a pang of guilt and jealousy because it was Sai who saved Sakura. However, as Sai told him already, Sai now only sees Sakura as a friend and she sees him in the same light.

Back to Sai's place…

Sakura opened her eyes. Everything was a blur at first. Then, everything finally came into view. She saw that it was morning. She also felt unusually heavy although she was already lying on a bed in a room. Then, she recognized that the room wasn't hers. She wasn't in a hospital room either.

She immediately sat up, but then her hands went flying to her aching head. She winced at the head-splitting painful sensation. She lied back down on the bed and sighed audibly.

She felt that she was sweating a lot, although she felt unusually cold, too. She was aware that her body temperature's higher than normal. Her eyelids felt heavy, her whole body was aching, too.

"Panicking, Sakura?" Sai said.

Sai was inside the room all along. He was sitting in one corner, drawing on a sketchpad. He was watching Sakura ever since she woke up.

Sakura looked for that voice's owner. She saw Sai. He smiled at her once her eyes saw him.

"W-What happened? W-Why am I in your place?" Sakura asked.

"You collapsed on the way home last night. I took you here to my place since it was much closer than yours. Don't worry; I've already informed the Godaime Hokage. She also checked up on you a while ago. Your conference with the Mizukage has been postponed." Sai informed the upcoming Rokudaime.

"I guess I overworked." Sakura faked a smile, "I should have taken it easy."

"Right." Sai placed his pencil down for a moment and looked seriously at Sakura, "Hey, Sakura. May I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"I haven't told this to the Godaime Hokage. I told her that I found you on the usual route you would take whenever you're from the Hokage Tower and on your way home. That was a lie." Sai talked, "You weren't from that route. I found you on an odd route. The path you walked along last night, it leads to the Uchiha Compound. Aside from that, your eyelids were a bit red and swollen when I found you. It seems that you cried last night. Do you have a problem? A problem concerning Uchiha Sasuke?"

_TBC…_

-------

**Neji and Tenten end up in a clinic at the hospital. The day that Tenten feared finally came. The doctor is surprised that Neji has no idea that Tenten is pregnant. Who would be telling Neji? Will it be the doctor or Tenten, herself? Meanwhile, Sai lectures on Sakura regarding some things that she had overlooked in her life. Sai tells Sakura that she has some straightening up to do.**

**Intense encounters, heart-stopping confrontations on Chapter 93: **_**Will of the Wise**_

"_**Would you still call this village your home if the only person who makes it truly feel like home is out of reach?"**_

**- Sai

* * *

**

_**A/N:**_** Was this chapter a little short? Well then, YOU'LL LOVE THE NEXT ONES. They're hell of a lot LONGER! Bwahahaha!**

**Hey, I need readers on my other new fics **_**Blue Moon**__** (A NaruHina oneshot songfic)**_** and **_**Deimos Swing**__** (A Cowboy Bebop multi-chaptered fic with a Spike X Faye pairing)**_**. I sure do hope you guys would read and review those, too. :]**

**So tell me what you think about this chapter. ****Hit that review button NOW!**** :]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	93. Will of the Wise

**HOMEBOUND CELEBRATES FOUR YEARS OF UNRIVALED SUPREMACY.**

**The author presents two chapters back-to-back to celebrate the legacy that is Homebound as her way of expressing her gratitude to all those who supported her since October 4, 2005 until this very day. THE AUTHOR DEDICATES THIS TWO-PART SPECIAL TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NOT FAILED TO GIVE HER ALL THE SUPPORT TO WRITE THIS EPIC FANFICTION.**

**THIS. IS. ALL. FOR. YOU.**

**Chapters 93 and 94.**

**HOMEBOUND'S FANTASTIC FOURTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL.**

**And the story still kicks ass!**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"W-What happened? W-Why am I in your place?" Sakura asked.

"You collapsed on the way home last night. I took you here to my place since it was much closer than yours. Don't worry; I've already informed the Godaime Hokage. She also checked up on you a while ago. Your conference with the Mizukage has been postponed." Sai informed the upcoming Rokudaime.

"I guess I overworked." Sakura faked a smile, "I should have taken it easy."

"Right." Sai placed his pencil down for a moment and looked seriously at Sakura, "Hey, Sakura. May I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"I haven't told this to the Godaime Hokage. I told her that I found you on the usual route you would take whenever you're from the Hokage Tower and on your way home. That was a lie." Sai talked, "You weren't from that route. I found you on an odd route. The path you walked along last night, it leads to the Uchiha Compound. Aside from that, your eyelids were a bit red and swollen when I found you. It seems that you cried last night. Do you have a problem? A problem concerning Uchiha Sasuke?"

**(Chapter 93 – Will of the Wise)**

"So you noticed, huh?" Sakura faked a smile.

"Yeah, what happened? Did you have an argument with him?" Sai queried.

"No, not at all." Sakura diverted her gaze from Sai, "I just returned something that I did not deserve to have."

"And what is that?"

"I returned Sasuke's mother's necklace to his parents' graves. The necklace was a symbol of my marriage engagement with Sasuke. Since I've long already called it quits, it's just appropriate that I return it to its owners, pay my respects, and give an apology."

"Well then, did Sasuke see you?" Sai asked while putting his sketchpad aside and opted to listen to Sakura instead.

"Yes."

"And?"

"Nothing. He offered me to stay there for a night or have him escort me home."

"And I'm guessing you refused both offers?"

"Yes."

"And I'm also guessing you cried after that?"

"Right." Sakura snickered and tried to ridicule Sai, "Am I that predictable?"

Sai smiled at her, "No, not really. It's just that I know you."

Sai looked at the wall clock and he stood up, "It's almost time for your first medicine. I'll just be downstairs. I'll fix you something to eat so you could drink your meds. I'll be right back, ugly hag."

Sakura was in no good condition to grab Sai's throat for calling her an ugly hag. And she knows that it was his pet name for her. Putting that thought aside, she just smiled at how thoughtful he was.

Just before Sai left the room, he stopped at his tracks upon reaching the doorway. He called, "Sakura."

"What is it?" Sakura asked. She stared at Sai's back.

"I'm also sure you know by now, about Sasuke's upcoming S-rank mission." Sai said.

"Oh that… yes, of course." Sakura answered in a low tone.

He sighed and queried, "Remember our conversation when I was in the hospital?"

**--- FLASHBACK (from Chapter 83) ---**

Sakura stood up from her seat and smiled at Sai. She bent down and hugged him, "Sai, thank you…"

Sai's eyes widened and asked, "For what?"

"For everything…" Sakura replied, "You would do anything for me, but still, I couldn't do anything to return the favor…"

Sai's eyes saddened and remembered the time when she loved him, too.

"You know it hurts me to see you sad and pained." Sai told her, "I told you, I know you're not for me. But I once loved you, and I still do love you as a friend… I just want you to be happy… even if it means handing you over to the man who had hurt you the most… because I know in him, you would be the happiest."

"I'm happy to know that you still care, Sai." She finally released him and heaved a sigh, plus tugging a smile, "You're a true friend."

"Do something about what you feel, before it's too late." Sai reminded with a smile, "To live a life full of love, you'll need courage."

Sakura's smile widened and nodded, "Let's see if I can do something about that."

"If you run away, you'll get lost and you can never be homebound again." Sai told her, "Do you know where your home is? It's in Uchiha Sasuke's heart."

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

"Yes. Yes, I still do remember. What about it?" Sakura replied.

"Well, Sakura," Sai turned around and looked at Sakura, then continued, "you're running out of time. Hurry up before it's too late. I don't want you to do something regretful."

"I already…" she swallowed a lump in her throat and followed through, "I already returned the symbol of Sasuke's promise of marriage. I can no longer-"

"Was it the right choice?"

"This is for Konoha!"

"You can still rule Konoha – I think you can rule even better if only you would have to admit how you really feel. Or would you rather rule Konoha with regrets filling up your soul? The guilt will grow and will not die down, thus, it will only eat you alive, Sakura. And remember, you're going to be the Hokage for as long as you live. Do you want your guilt to haunt you for the rest of your life?"

"I'd sacrifice for my home-"

"Would you still call this village your home if the only person who makes it truly feel like home is out of reach?" Sai lectured.

Sakura was silenced.

"May I ask you this question again, Sakura?" Sai turned around once more, prepared to leave the room completely, "Do you know where your home is?"

Sakura sighed.

"The answer is still the same. It's in Uchiha Sasuke's heart." He said.

Then, he started walking, "Sakura, I would still advise you the same words I've told you when I was in the hospital. Do something about what you feel, before it's too late. To live a life full of love, you'll need courage. You're only running away, Sakura. Where's the courage in that?"

Meanwhile…

Tenten was seated on a chair. She was clutching onto her aching head, as if it were to crumble into pieces as soon as her hand would dare leave it. Seated on a chair across her was her husband, Hyuuga Neji, who was staring at her intently. Beside them was a doctor's desk.

Then, the clinic's door swung open and in came a doctor.

"I'm very sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. and Mrs. Hyuuga. I just went out to get Mrs. Hyuuga's medical records." The doctor apologized as he strode to his desk, bringing with him a folder.

"That's all right. Is my wife okay?" Neji started.

The doctor sat and opened the folder. He browsed it for a while and then looked at the couple. Then, he glanced at Tenten and said, "Now, Mrs. Hyuuga, you complain that your head hurts, you're nauseous, and you feel dizzy, yes?"

Tenten just nodded.

"Right then." the doctor glanced at the medical records once more and told them, "You also consulted Sakura-san the other day for the same reasons, is that correct?"

Tenten nodded.

"And she referred you to see an OB-GYN, yes? I also happened to check if Sakura-san and your OB-GYN are around, but I'm sorry to inform you that they are not around today because first of all Sakura-san is-"

"Doctor, why did Sakura refer my wife to an obstetrics-gynecologist? Is there something serious about her health that I should be concerned about?" Neji interrupted the doctor. **(**_**A/N**_**: Of course, I know that girls out there know what an obstetrics-gynecologist [OB-GYN] is. But for the very few guys out there who have no idea what an OB-GYN is, well, in a nutshell, an OB-GYN's main concern is a woman's reproductive system… and everything that goes on with it, like pregnancy, some infections, diseases, etc. :] )**

The doctor looked surprised. He leaned at the back of his swivel chair and looked at Tenten, "Oh my, Mrs. Hyuuga. You haven't told your husband yet? It seems like he doesn't know anything about **it**." And with the doctor's index finger, he pointed at her medical records from her OB-GYN.

Tenten sighed.

"What is it that I don't know about?" Neji looked alarmed, "Tenten, what is he saying? What's wrong with you? Why aren't you telling me anything?"

Tenten winced at those words. The day she feared had finally come today – the day that she would have to tell Neji about **it**.

There was a brief moment of silence.

"Mrs. Hyuuga," the doctor spoke, "if you won't tell your husband about **it** yourself, I'm afraid I would have to be the one to tell him now."

Silence.

The doctor sighed, "Well then, if that is so, Mrs. Hyuuga Tenten. Mr. Hyuuga Neji, let me just inform you that your wife is-"

"WAIT!" Tenten shouted and had her hand flying in front of the doctor's face, as if signaling a stop sign, "I-I mean… wait. You don't have to be the one to tell him about **it**. I would have to be the one to break it down to him."

"Then you might as well start explaining right now, Tenten." Neji folded his arms across his chest, his face was dead serious.

Tenten looked at him and knew that he was running short on patience. He was just trying to keep his cool because one, she wasn't feeling well, and; two, she was his wife.

Tenten took a deep breath and sighed audibly. She looked at her husband and said, "Neji."

"What? What is it, Tenten? What's going on?" Neji questioned. He was very concerned. After all, this is his wife we're talking about.

Tenten diverted her gaze and looked at the floor, "N-Neji, I'm pregnant."

Silence.

Neji was shocked. His eyes widened as soon as she said those words and his lips were parted, forming a miniature 'o'.

Tenten sighed and laid a hand on her still flat tummy, "I-I-I'm s-sorry, Neji, I-I-I know t-that this is n-not according t-to our p-plans, b-b-but-"

"I'm going to be a father?" It was more of a statement rather than a question from Neji, as if not having heard his sorry wife's apology.

"Y-yes." She replied. She didn't know if he was infuriated, he was happy, he was frightened, or what.

"I'm going to be a father." Neji smiled. His smile turned into a grin, "I'm going to be a father! That's great! I'm going to be a father! Tenten, we're going to have a family soon!"

Tenten dropped all her apprehensions when she saw her husband's reaction. What surprised her next is that Neji had already wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight as he started chuckling a bit.

Neji straightened up, but that grin was never erased from his handsome face and asked the doctor, "So, what she has is what you would call 'morning sickness', right? This is completely normal, right? Nothing serious, right?"

"No, nothing serious at all, Mr. Hyuuga." The doctor smiled, nodding reassuringly at the couple.

Neji's grin seemingly reached his ears and he placed a hand over his mouth and gasped for joy, "I-I can't believe it. I'm going to be a father really soon! Tenten, we're going to have a child!"

Then, he hugged Tenten once more and told her, "Were you worried that I was going to be upset about this because it's not according to our plans? Of course not! There's nothing to worry about, Tenten. In fact, I'm so happy! I'm glad that we're going to have a child now, Tenten. I love you. I always will. I'm going to take even better care of you and our child."

Tenten smiled and hugged Neji back. She cried tears of joy on his shoulder and said to him, "Thank you, Neji. Thank you so much. I love you, too."

"So, do you want anything to eat? Are you craving for something? I'll buy you everything you want to eat – well, as long as it's good for the baby, **our** baby." Neji asked Tenten, holding her hands eagerly.

Tenten looked up and thought, "Hmm… Can I have a whole layer of mega chocolate cake, a whole round of blueberry cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, and warm milk?"

Neji smiled gingerly at her, "Of course. I'll buy you all of those, as much as you want and as frequent as you want. Let's go home, Tenten."

Two hours later…

"Looks like the meds are kicking." Sai smiled as he looked at the thermometer, "Your temperature dropped. I think you're going to be fine by tomorrow, but I can't really say. I'm not a medic like you, you know."

Sai placed the thermometer down on the bedside table and he took a seat.

"How was your day off?" Sakura asked him.

"Oh, it was great." He replied, "I had time to do some art. As a matter of fact, I went to the Konoha Art Gallery. I met a jolly old man there, and he was the owner of the place. I also met his daughter and..."

Sakura mischievously smiled, "And…?"

"Well, she was interesting." Sai told her, "She was also an artist like me. However, she said she used to be pretty good at her art before. She lost her edge after being depressed because her ex-fiancé called it quits since, according to that guy, she had more time for her art than she had time with him. It was a lousy reason, really. I think the guy's pathetic. It was just right that she and that loser didn't marry each other. He just can't appreciate art much; therefore, he can't even appreciate her well enough. What a total moron."

Sakura spoke, "It seems like you really are interested with this girl. What's her name?"

"Natsumi."

"Are you going to date her? You know, when you have time?"

"Hmm, I wouldn't really call it a date. But I did promise her that I would visit her at least everyday after work." Sai tipped his chin, "Could you already call that a date?"

"I don't know. Why did you promise to visit her at least everyday, though?"

"I'm going to teach her on art. Just a little bit until she gets her edge back." Sai told Sakura.

"Well, I guess I won't be surprised if you plan to date this girl sometime in the future, Sai." Sakura smiled, "I'm happy for you."

"If I'm supposed to be happy because you're happy for me, well, thank you." Sai smiled back, "I heard you had a rough day yesterday. Naruto told me. I was on the phone with him a while ago. He called to ask how you were. I told him not to worry, since I'm going to 'nurse' you until you get better. Of course, that was the Godaime's orders."

"It was hell in the office yesterday, can you tell?" Sakura answered, "No wonder why I caught flu and still feel fatigued right now."

"I sense that there was a lot about Uchiha Sasuke yesterday, huh?" Sai added, "His transfer, his mission, your personal issues with him."

"That's not all, Sai." Sakura turned serious, "My cousin, Kashime, the Mizukage, wants Sasuke to be punished for his crimes against Konoha and Kirigakure."

Silence.

"So what are you going to do about this, then?" Sai asked formally, "Rokudaime-san, what would be the verdict to carry out on Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sakura slowly sat up and sighed audibly. She turned her head to look at Sai.

After a brief moment, she finally spoke, "I have decided."

Sai nodded, "What is it, then?"

"Sai," Sakura told him, "call Tsunade-sama."

_TBC…_

-------

**Yamato goes to the Konoha Art Gallery to hunt for the person he was looking for, only to be attacked by a flurry of questions from who was supposedly a jolly old man. Kakashi is sent to Shio to explain Sakura's condition. However, Shio's untoward words ate at Kakashi's cool. Kakashi had to give him a piece of his mind. And last but not the least, the reason why Sakura called for Tsunade will be finally unraveled.**

**Homebound, Chapter 94: **_**Defiance and Power**_

"_**In the first place, why did you specifically request the Rokudaime's signature on the treaty's contract, anyway? It's something that has been bugging me until now. Would you care to explain that to me?"**_

**- Hatake Kakashi**

_**A/N:**_** I just noticed that Kakashi is one of Sakura's advisors and he's missing in action. So here's some special participation.**

**I love you and you know it. Show your love. Hit that review button now, before you proceed to the next chapter. I'll consider it as your anniversary gift to me! ;]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	94. Defiance and Power

**HOMEBOUND CELEBRATES FOUR YEARS OF UNRIVALED SUPREMACY.**

**The author presents two chapters back-to-back to celebrate the legacy that is Homebound as her way of expressing her gratitude to all those who supported her since October 4, 2005 until this very day. THE AUTHOR DEDICATES THIS TWO-PART SPECIAL TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE NOT FAILED TO GIVE HER ALL THE SUPPORT TO WRITE THIS EPIC FANFICTION.**

**THIS. IS. ALL. FOR. YOU.**

**Chapters 93 and 94.**

**HOMEBOUND'S FANTASTIC FOURTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL.**

**And the story still kicks ass!**

**(From the last chapter…)**

"I sense that there was a lot about Uchiha Sasuke yesterday, huh?" Sai added, "His transfer, his mission, your personal issues with him."

"That's not all, Sai." Sakura turned serious, "My cousin, Kashime, the Mizukage, wants Sasuke to be punished for his crimes against Konoha and Kirigakure."

Silence.

"So what are you going to do about this, then?" Sai asked formally, "Rokudaime-san, what would be the verdict to carry out on Uchiha Sasuke?"

Sakura slowly sat up and sighed audibly. She turned her head to look at Sai.

After a brief moment, she finally spoke, "I have decided."

Sai nodded, "What is it, then?"

"Sai," Sakura told him, "call Tsunade-sama."

**(Chapter 94 – Defiance and Power)**

"Does anything seem to be a problem, Sakura?" Tsunade said as she entered the guest room in Sai's house, where Sakura is temporarily staying. Shizune, who was carrying Tonton, tailed Tsunade.

It has been 10 minutes since Sakura had asked of Sai to summon Tsunade.

Sai entered the room. With a smile, he bowed in front of Sakura and said, "I have successfully summoned the Godaime Hokage upon your request, Rokudaime-san."

"Thank you, Sai." Sakura told Sai.

"With such formality, this seems to be of legal concern." Tsunade sensed, "Am I correct, Sakura?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Sakura sincerely told her mentor, "There is something that I want to discuss with you about."

"What is it, then?"

"About Uchiha Sasuke." Sakura replied bravely, "I want to discuss some matters concerning Uchiha Sasuke."

Tsunade and Shizune looked surprised.

Sai and Sakura looked serious.

Sai grabbed a chair and placed it beside Tsunade.

"Please have a seat, Hokage-sama." Sai politely told Tsunade.

Meanwhile…

"_This must be the place."_ Yamato thought as he looked at the piece of paper he was holding.

Yamato entered the Konoha Art Gallery.

"Ah! Welcome, welcome!" it was the jolly old man, the owner of the place.

"Uhm, according to the information I have here, a woman named Natsumi works here?" Yamato approached the old man at the reception desk.

"Ah, yes! That's my very wonderful daughter!" the old man replied.

"Then you must be Hokoujin Akito-san?" Yamato asked.

"Ah, why yes! That's my name! So," the old man heartily snickered, "what brings you here, young man?"

Yamato bowed and formally greeted, "Sir, I am Yamato, one of the upcoming Rokudaime's advisors. I am here to see your daughter and talk to her about some important matters."

"The Rokudaime's advisor? Ah! The Rokudaime's assistant was here the other day!" Akito told him, "Ah, when shall the Rokudaime, herself, visit this place? First, it was her assistant, and now it's her advisor!"

"The Rokudaime's assistant? Sai?" Yamato queried, surprised.

Akito tipped his chin, "Ah yes! I think that is his name! He was here to see the artworks! Ah, I almost forgot. What are you and my daughter going to talk about?"

"Well, sir," Yamato answered, "I am actually trying to do the Rokudaime a favor. I am sure you are aware that the Mizukage is currently in Konoha. The Mizukage had asked of Rokudaime for help in improving the ninja skills of those in Kirigakure, knowing that the ninjas here in Konoha are exceptional."

The big smile from Akito's face had disappeared, "And so…?"

"I volunteered to look for ninjas who will be sent to Kirigakure, to train the ninjas there." Yamato informed, "And I have stumbled upon your daughter's profile in the archives. I think it would be a very good choice to send her to Kiri-"

"Young man- ah, Yamato, that's your name, yes?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, Yamato-san, as much as I want to support the Rokudaime's compliance with the Mizukage's wish, and as much as I am honored that you have selected my daughter to come along, I'm sorry but my precious Natsumi-chan has quit being a ninja. I respect her decision and she cannot join you."

Yamato sighed, "As a matter of fact, sir, I am recruiting those who have quitted but have exceptional abilities. One of those I have chosen is Natsumi-san. I have talked to the other ninjas who have quitted, and they have complied with my request."

"Ah, others may have complied with your request; however, I am not quite sure if my daughter will!" Akito defended.

"Well then, if you don't mind, sir," Yamato offered, "could I talk to you and your daughter in private?"

Akito raised an eyebrow at Yamato's slyness.

In the Mizukage's suite…

"Excuse me?" Shio told the silver-haired man standing in front of him, "So you're saying that the contract-signing would have to be postponed?"

"Exactly." Kakashi told him, "On behalf of the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage, I apologize. However, Sakura is in no good condition today. She was so worn out from work yesterday. From what I heard from Shizune, the Godaime Hokage's assistant, Sakura couldn't even stand up. Sakura is currently being nursed by her assistant, Sai, in his home."

Shio and Kakashi were standing at the hall in front of the Mizukage's hotel suite.

"This is unacceptable!" Shio replied, "The Rokudaime knows that she has a contract-signing today, right?! How could she tire herself out yesterday to be this sick today-"

"In the first place, why did you specifically request the Rokudaime's signature on the treaty's contract, anyway? It's something that has been bugging me until now." Kakashi interrupted, "Would you care to explain that to me?"

Shio was taken back by that statement. Shio couldn't reply.

Kakashi could only stare at him with his lazy eye, "Well?"

Shio pursed his lips and looked away.

Kakashi smiled at him and said, "Mayonima Shio, right? I have heard about you – including your impatience. You're still young to have wrinkles on your face. And besides, the Mizukage might want to refuse marrying you some time in the future if your grumpiness goes on."

"Hatake Kakashi-san, please give me some respect-"

"Then don't suppose yourself as if you're my superior, because you aren't, that's for sure." Kakashi seriously eyed him this time, "I'm certain that I am a lot older than you are, so don't you think you should have given me that respect in the first place? Also, shouldn't you be putting more manners since you are in a foreign land? People wouldn't like it if you gave them bad first impressions – and first impressions always last. If you want some respect, you'll have to earn it. I'm telling you this not because I'm an older man, but rather because as a more experienced ninja than you are, I think I know a lot more about ethics than a youngster like you does. My students are about your age, but I don't think they have the attitude that you have. And one of my students is the Rokudaime herself, Haruno Sakura."

Shio was silenced by that lecture from the copy ninja, himself, not to mention downright embarrassed.

Kakashi sighed, "I think the Mist is in a state of fanaticism after hearing about the news that the Godaime Hokage has chosen her successor. And because of this fanaticism, I think your Mizukage's advisors wanted the upcoming Rokudaime's signature on the new contract between Kirigakure and Konohagakure. I think you're taking advantage of Sakura's inexperience with this. With that, you ask of Sakura some conditions that would sound so simplified, but in case something goes wrong, you can twist what those conditions mean and you can blame her for her misconception on the contract. And just because you know that Tsunade is confident with her decision to put Sakura as the next Hokage, you thought that whatever Sakura decides to do will always be supported by Tsunade."

Kakashi added, "Just to inform you, the Rokudaime is not yet inaugurated as the new ruler of Konoha. All of this fanaticism has been leading you the wrong way. To tell you honestly, I am one of those keeping a keen eye on Sakura's progress as the upcoming Rokudaime. As I've said, she was my student before, therefore, I cannot allow you to take advantage of her inexperience – if that is what you assume on doing if worse comes to worst. Is that what your village intends to do?"

"No." Shio answered humbly, "I think that is not the case. We only want an alliance, and that is all-"

"Then wait patiently until Sakura is well and healthy enough to face the Mizukage for the contract-signing of the alliance of the Mist and the Leaf." Kakashi lectured, "If you don't want such misconceptions on your village, then don't try making up rationalizations that are not even true. Yes, Sakura knows that she is supposed to have a contract-signing with the Mizukage today, but that does not give her a right to neglect her duties and responsibilities as the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage. She was too busy dealing with her work as the successor each and everyday – yesterday included. With her hectic work, I heard that she does not have much time to either eat or rest at all. I think her body is trying to cope up with her stress and her fatigue. So do not misconceive that Sakura deliberately got herself sick just so this contract-signing could be postponed. This is nobody's fault. I hope you understand that, Mayonima Shio."

Completely embarrassed by Kakashi's words, Shio just nodded in response.

"Very well then, I'm glad that you understand. I apologize I had to give you a sermon but I think that is just proper so that your offensive manners would totally be eradicated. You must have a broader mind, Shio. International relations are not like how an ANBU captain, such as yourself, commands his brigade." Kakashi smiled, "Please tell the Mizukage about this and please send us her regards and apologies. Good day."

With that, Kakashi walked away, grabbing his favorite orange book hidden in his slacks' back pocket.

Back to Sai's place…

"So what is it that we have to talk about regarding Uchiha Sasuke?" asked Tsunade, who was now seated.

"I have agreed numerous times with how you wanted to use Sasuke as an asset to Konoha, no matter how much of a liability he really is." Sakura opened her ideas, "I have agreed numerous times with you, not even having a choice but to agree at all times, not even having a fighting chance to protest against it. I believe that you already have given Sasuke pardon from all his crimes against Konoha and Kirigakure."

Tsunade was still intently listening to Sakura.

Sakura continued, "The Mizukage wants Sasuke to be punished. I asked for your advice. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think that your idea of faking a punishment will do."

"So you're saying that you want to punish him for real?" Tsunade asked, wide-eyed.

Sakura sighed. She clenched her fists on her blanket and closed her eyes tightly.

"Sakura!" Tsunade half-yelled, "I thought we have agreed about this before?!"

"We have, Tsunade-sama." Sakura nodded as she opened her eyes to look at her.

Tsunade could only stare at her student with bewilderment, "Then what do you want?"

Sakura felt something heavy weighing down on her. Sai noticed that Sakura was having difficulty. After all, this was an issue regarding Uchiha Sasuke. Also, given that she was still sick and she would like to put to rest some issues that surround the Uchiha survivor, she's not able to think right.

"If I may speak, Godaime-sama." Sai bowed in front of Tsunade.

"Proceed." Tsunade looked at Sai.

Sakura looked at Sai, who was now straightening himself up. Sai returned Sakura's gaze and gave her a small but reassuring smile. Sakura smiled back in gratitude.

"If Rokudaime-san would be the one to sign the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance, then I think whatever decision she has made for Uchiha Sasuke should be respected by the Mizukage, by all means. We all know that Uchiha Sasuke not only has devastated Konoha, but Kirigakure as well." Sai explained, "Of course, it is proper that the Mizukage should demand punishment for the deaths and damages Uchiha Sasuke has caused upon Kirigakure. I think it is best if we let the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage have her way. Godaime Hokage-sama, please allow Rokudaime-sama to present to you her decision. You're the one who has chosen your successor, Godaime-sama, so I reckon that you do trust her. And if you do trust her, then please grant her the autonomy to decide and to act upon this matter. I believe that Rokudaime-sama will never decide of anything that will disappoint Konoha."

Tsunade was struck at that.

Sai smiled at himself, _"I've had enough of you manipulating Sakura, Tsunade-sama. I just couldn't help but finally talk regarding this matter. Clearly enough, she can't be Hokage enough if you continue to hold her by the throat, now can she?"_

"That is not as simple as it seems, Sai." Tsunade pointed out, "What if-"

"Please, Godaime-sama," Sai interrupted, "let us do away with our pessimisms and focus on what we can do with what we already have. I believe that whatever Rokudaime-sama's decision is, it is in the best of her intentions and the best for both Konoha and Kirigakure."

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune spoke, "Sai is right. We have to let Sakura decide for this. After all, it was the Mizukage who asked her."

Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows, "Sakura, I am telling you, whatever foolishness you have up in your sleeve to give in to your cousin's demands-"

"Tsunade-sama," Sakura eyed her mentor sharply but firmly, "I have made my decision and I believe that this decision should be made official."

The Godaime Hokage's breath was caught up in her throat. Each assistant of each Hokage stood straight and listened attentively.

Sakura said with all dignity, "I, Haruno Sakura, the chosen Rokudaime Hokage, am giving down an eternal and executive pardon to Uchiha Sasuke for his crimes against me, against Konoha, and against Kirigakure. Konoha will be paying all damages done by Uchiha Sasuke in kind and in service to Kirigakure."

Tsunade's eyes widened at Sakura's decision.

Sakura took a deep breath and said, "This decision is final and irrevocable."

_TBC…_

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**The contract-signing of the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance pushes through. How will this start out?**

**You're cordially invited to Chapter 95: **_**Humble Supremacy, Proud Inferiority**_

"_**Well then, shall we begin, Hokage-sama?"**_

**- Haruno Kashime, the Mizukage**

_**A/N:**_** And that concludes the two-part fourth anniversary special of Homebound. I hope you liked it. :]**

**You're gonna love the next chapter and I know it. It's exciting, I tell you. Even I was so thrilled when I wrote the next chapter and the chapters after that. **_**You are so in for one hell of a ride.**_

**So, do I get a review or what? ;]**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	95. Humble Supremacy, Proud Inferiority

_**DISCLAIMER:**_** Naruto absolutely belongs to Masashi Kishimoto-sama. My pseudonym and my real name are not even close to the sound of his name. XD**

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_**UPDATES:**_** YEAHHH!!! IT'S THE SEMESTRAL BREAK!!! XD I have finished writing Chapter 99 of Homebound! It's pretty long, too. It will be subjected to editing some other time. ;]**

_**MORE GOOD NEWS!!!**_** I finally have internet at home!!! Hoorah! Yeahhh! Now I can update my fics and reply to your reviews right from the comforts of my own home without hassles, at any convenient time I have! Wooh yeah! Raise your hands in the air and wave it like you just don't care!!! XD

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_**READ THIS FIRST, AND DON'T GET CONFUSED!!!**_

**Hehe, yeah, I know that the recent Naruto Manga Chapters are cool and all, it even features a female Mizukage who has super cool ninjutsus, BUT! Please don't confuse that the Mizukage from the Naruto manga and the Mizukage here are the same, ABSOLUTELY NOT.**

**Even before the Mizukage from the Naruto manga has debuted, I already have released the image of a female Mizukage in the persona of Haruno Kashime, a long, long time ago. Kashime was originally introduced as Sakura's cousin who resides in Kirigakure. Kashime was also introduced as the Mizukage's apprentice.**

**Coincidentally, the Mizukage from the manga is a female as well. But please be reminded that the Mizukage in this fic, Haruno Kashime, has nothing to do with the original Naruto manga character. Haruno Kashime, the Mizukage here in Homebound, is my ****ORIGINAL CHARACTER**** (OC).

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_**Having said that, and without any further ado, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Chapter 95 of Homebound.

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**(Chapter 95 – Humble Supremacy, Proud Inferiority)**

Tsunade walked along the corridors leading to the main function hall of the Hokage Tower. Shizune tailing her, not too far behind; and she weren't bringing Tonton today, too. Instead, she was bringing a box with a foot-long scroll, pillowed by soft purple silk underneath.

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune called as she looked at the scroll she was holding, "don't you think Sakura's just been thinking a lot lately? It might not be the right decision, given that she said those words while she was sick-"

"Shizune," Tsunade countered, "this is her wish. I know this must have been difficult for her, as well. Remember the numerous faults the Uchiha have indeed committed against her, against Konoha, and against Kirigakure. If we were to put into account all those, Sasuke could have been dead right now, probably by the worst death penalty of all – being tied to a tree and having numerous ANBUs surrounding him, ready to throw kunais at him. If I didn't give him pardon, he would be undergoing trial right now. Sakura's decision will devastate the Mizukage, that, I am most certain – but of course, Sakura is the Mizukage's cousin. I'm sure the Mizukage would have no choice but to accept the decision as well. But when will she finally be able to accept Sakura's decision? That is the question."

Tsunade was nearing the main function hall, the lights and the noises coming clearer to her senses.

"Shizune," Tsunade called for the second time, "if you think that it's easy for me to break this news in the place of Sakura, well, you thought wrong. This leaves me with a heavy heart as well. If I cannot carry this out well, then… this would probably create a dispute between Konoha and Kirigakure forever. The pressure's on me."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama." Shizune nodded, "I hope that you do well today."

Tsunade gripped at the triangular hat she was carrying.

With a simple 'hmm' as a reply to what Shizune had said, Tsunade wore the very symbolic object which signifies that she is the Hokage. The tapping of her heels were now gradually slowing down as the lights of the main function hall glistened on the Hokage's red triangular hat, casting a dark shadow over the Godaime Hokage's seemingly youthful façade.

Sounds of fast-beating cultural drums and the croons of flutes reverberated throughout the function hall. The noises from the hall were reduced to silence. The sounding of those instruments signifies the arrival of the Hokage. Everyone in the hall stood in attention.

"The Godaime Hokage has arrived!" the deep, round, and loud voice of the attendant of the event echoed throughout the hall.

Tsunade had made her entrance to the hall. It was simple but dignified; glorious but not extravagant; humble, yet robed with all of Konoha's pride.

She made her way to the stage, where the Mizukage was standing at attention as well. The Mizukage was dressed in her white and blue robes, the blue triangular hat casting a shadow on her face as well. Shizune bowed to her Hokage as she stopped tailing her and stood in attention by the stage's staircase.

With the last beat of the drum and the last note of the crooning flutes, Tsunade has exactly made it to the stage, where the Mizukage was waiting for her.

"A pleasure meeting you, Mizukage-sama." Tsunade held out a hand to the Mizukage.

Haruno Kashime, the Mizukage, took the Hokage's hand and shook it.

"A pleasure meeting you as well, Hokage-sama." Kashime replied.

With this, the audience clapped. The audience comprised of journalists for broadcast and print, ninjas, some civilians, and ANBUs.

"I apologize that the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage can't make it today." The Hokage apologized as she withdrew her hand, "Due to unavoidable circumstances, she had gotten ill and is still trying to recuperate. I hope you can forgive her. Anyway, she has sent me on her behalf."

"No offense made, Hokage-sama." The Mizukage assured, "Don't worry. It's not a big deal. I am much honored that the current Hokage, herself, is the one right before me and everyone else here in this gathering. Thank you very much for your presence, Hokage-sama."

The two kages took their seats and placed their hats down on the long table before them. At the stage's backdrop was the symbol of the Leaf and the Mist, as well as the kanji of 'fire' in devil red color, and the kanji of 'mist' in sky blue hue.

Tsunade eyed the attendees of this event who were seated on the front row. The chosen advisors of the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage were there – Yamato, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hatake Kakashi. Sai was excused from this event since he has the obligation to nurse Sakura back to health. But more importantly… Tsunade examined that one man seated in front, at the same row where Sakura's advisors sat. Tsunade remembers very well that Sakura had bid her to specifically place that person in front. Oh, he has to hear every word that the Godaime Hokage has yet to utter. Tsunade's sharp eyes focused on Uchiha Sasuke who was clad in a jounin uniform.

Sasuke looked up at the stage to find Tsunade staring at him. He received a memorandum last night from the Godaime Hokage, herself, requesting that he should attend this affair and be seated on the front row, along with Yamato, Kakashi, and Naruto. He was asked to be clad in a regular jounin's outfit. So he did. Yet, it still bothers him, up to this very moment, on why he was specifically requested such. But one thing is sure – he is very certain that something regarding him will be talked about in this contract-signing of the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance.

What else bothers the Uchiha prodigy is the absence of Sakura and Sai.

"_She still is sick."_ Sasuke thought to himself.

"How do you think this event will turn out, Kakashi-sempai?" Yamato asked his former sempai, who was sitting beside him.

"Not good, I think." Kakashi tipped his masked chin, "Based on Sai's phone call last night, Sakura just asked Tsunade-sama to go here in her place since Sakura still isn't in a healthy condition. However, from what I could infer from Sai's tone when he was talking to me, it sounds like Sakura had told something to Tsunade. I really don't know, but I think the tempers of these two kages would blow off anytime soon."

"Yes, come to think of it," Yamato replied, "the Mizukage had specifically asked for Sakura's presence. But for some inevitable reasons, Tsunade-sama had to take Sakura's place for this important event. I don't think the Mizukage actually likes that, despite of what she said that there is no offense made."

"But this important event cannot be postponed until Sakura gets well," Kakashi added, "I still think Sakura has made the right decision to have Tsunade-sama proxy for her. After all, the Mizukage isn't any different from the Hokage as well. The Mizukage is as busy as the Hokage, so postponing this further will mean that her return to the Mist will be delayed, and this delay will also mean postponing her duties as a Mizukage to Kirigakure."

"Exactly. So the Mizukage has no other choice but to accept the Godaime Hokage's presence in place of the requested attendance of the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage." Yamato agreed.

"I wish this would end soon." Naruto suddenly said. This made Kakashi's and Yamato's heads turn towards where Naruto is seated. "Hinata-chan is craving again. I certainly can't leave her craving like that! I have to buy whatever my wife wants to eat because it's for our baby, too."

Yamato and Kakashi chuckled.

"It's not very usual to see Naruto this husbandly, now is it, sempai?" Yamato told Kakashi.

"Do you know that the Yondaime used to be like him?" Kakashi added, reminiscing his memories of the Yondaime Hokage, "My sensei always wanted to go home immediately because he wants to buy his wife's food cravings when she was pregnant with Naruto. Like father like son, eh, Naruto?"

That statement brought a sheepish grin to Naruto's face. He nodded happily.

Sasuke has not said a word although he has heard everything that Sakura's advisors were talking about. He wasn't in the mood to butt in, and that isn't like him either. Also, he could still feel the intensity of the stare being given to him by Tsunade. It was starting to make him feel uneasy.

"_There is going to be definitely something about me in this."_ Sasuke thought and cursed inaudibly.

"Well then," Kashime had interrupted the thoughts of Sasuke and the focused, watchful glare of the Tsunade at him, "shall we begin, Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage sat straight and faced the Mizukage, "We shall, Mizukage-sama."

**--- FLASHBACK (with some parts from Chapter 94) ---**

"Please, Godaime-sama," Sai interrupted, "let us do away with our pessimisms and focus on what we can do with what we already have. I believe that whatever Rokudaime-sama's decision is, it is in the best of her intentions and the best for both Konoha and Kirigakure."

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune spoke, "Sai is right. We have to let Sakura decide for this. After all, it was the Mizukage who asked her."

Tsunade furrowed her eyebrows, "Sakura, I am telling you, whatever foolishness you have up in your sleeve to give in to your cousin's demands-"

"Tsunade-sama," Sakura eyed her mentor sharply but firmly, "I have made my decision and I believe that this decision should be made official."

The Godaime Hokage's breath was caught up in her throat. Each assistant of each Hokage stood straight and listened attentively.

Sakura said with all dignity, "I, Haruno Sakura, the chosen Rokudaime Hokage, am giving down an eternal and executive pardon to Uchiha Sasuke for his crimes against me, against Konoha, and against Kirigakure. Konoha will be paying all damages done by Uchiha Sasuke in kind and in service to Kirigakure."

Tsunade's eyes widened at Sakura's decision.

Sakura took a deep breath and said, "This decision is final and irrevocable."

"Sakura, I think you know very well that the Mizukage will not be happy about this, especially if this would be announced in the contract-signing." Tsunade blurted out.

"Of course, Tsunade-sama, Kashime won't be happy about this at all." Sakura smiled, "But this is my decision. It should be respected above all."

Tsunade sighed.

"Tsunade-sama, I would like to ask a favor from you." Sakura eyed her mentor kindly.

Tsunade rubbed her right temple with her right hand and sighed once more. "What is it?" she said.

"I would like the contract-signing for the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance be continued tomorrow. We could not postpone this until I get better. If we postpone any longer, then it would also mean that the Mizukage's return to her village will be delayed as well. I don't think any delay is worth the wait." Sakura explained, "So, Tsunade-sama, please proxy for me tomorrow. You will be the one to sign the contract."

"Shizune, would that be possible?" Tsunade eyed her assistant.

"It is possible, Tsunade-sama." Shizune replied, "The preparations were done yesterday. Of course, we weren't expecting Sakura to be sick today. So I think there would be no problem regarding the preparations. We would just be sending out memorandums to everyone who is required to attend the event, the press, the jounins, some ANBU squads, Sakura's advisors-"

"Could you add one more?" Sakura asked, "I have another person in mind that I think should be attending the contract-signing tomorrow."

"Who?" Shizune questioned.

Sakura answered her monotonously, "Uchiha Sasuke."

Silence.

"Please have him seated on the front row, just beside Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-taichou, and Naruto. His ANBU uniform isn't necessary; have him attend with his jounin uniform. I want him to hear everything about my decision to pardon him." Sakura shifted her gaze from Shizune to Tsunade, "I hope that's okay, Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade pursed her lips and nodded slowly.

"I'm glad." Sakura smiled, "Thank you so much for understanding. I know this is difficult, but I hope that this will be all right."

"Well, I'll do my best." Tsunade finally smirked at her successor, "You really are starting to be a more matured kunoichi, Sakura. We should be leaving now. Please take as much rest as you deserve. I'll have everything arranged for tomorrow. I hope you'll get well soon."

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

"We have gathered everyone here today so that you could all witness history unfold before your very eyes." The Mizukage addressed to the audience, "I, the Mizukage of Kirigakure, wants to form a bond with Konohagakure of the Land of Fire – a bond that will enforce an alliance that will start today and have no end."

The audience clapped. Of course, having another ally was good – it simply means that Konoha is a friend not only to Sunagakure now, but to Kirigakure as well. Having more allies is better than having more enemies.

When the applause had died down, the Mizukage continued, "That is why I came up with the Kirigakure-Konohagakure Treaty of Eternal Alliance. I am well aware that Konoha is one of the best hidden villages in the entire world – this land produces the best ninjas. The village where I came from is not even close to where Konoha is now in terms of success. I am saddened that I have to tell you that our village has been wrapped in turmoil for a very, very long time now. Our village had suffered much from several civil wars and ninja wars. I know Konoha had its own share of suffering as well, but it moved on quickly, as if no war had happened at all… but my village, Kirigakure, still had the scars and memories of those wars. My village has not yet entirely moved on. We are still trying to recover what we had lost. And I thought of seeking Konoha as an ally. I thought that maybe, Konoha can give Kirigakure hope. Maybe the Leaf can give the Mist a helping hand. Maybe the Leaf can help the Mist recover and move forward from all the havoc it's been through. Now that you know the rationale behind this treaty, what do you have to say, Hokage-sama?"

Kashime eyed Tsunade and the latter returned her gaze before turning her attention to the audience.

"I, the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure, am willing to work with Kirigakure. Yes, Mizukage-sama, we know that Kirigakure has always been the catch basin of the leftovers of war, but now that you have reached out to us, we certainly cannot let this happen to your village any longer." The Hokage replied.

The cheers from the audience were louder than it was a while ago.

The Mizukage spoke, "However, Hokage-sama, before we move on to signing the contract, I would like to address one concern."

"_I think this is it. Gee, this woman sure does like to be as straightforward as she can get! She has sure does have some stuck-up strict sense of moral code."_ Tsunade thought.

"What is it that bothers you, Mizukage-sama?" Tsunade asked politely.

Kashime smirked and eyed Uchiha Sasuke on the front row sharply, _"You're gonna get it, Uchiha."_

_TBC…_

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Kashime wanted to get the sympathy of the audience, so she tells the tale of Uchiha Sasuke's heinous crimes against Kirigakure. Tsunade is having trouble keeping her cool, yet she tries. Tsunade upsets Kashime after reading the verdict on Sasuke. There was uproar… until his 'angel in disguise' arrives and shocks the Mizukage.**

**The tension rises in Chapter 96: **_**The Relentless Mist**_

"_**One most definitely cannot blame a woman who backs out in fear as she realizes that her fiancé didn't exactly love her as much as she loved him. So this woman ran off and sought to find asylum in Kirigakure."**_  
**- Haruno Kashime, the Mizukage

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_**A/N:**_** You like it? You like it? I just love this chapter and the chapters to come. I felt like I was so inspired to write.**

**By the way, if you have some ideas for this fic, kindly inform me so I could make this fic suit more of your taste.**

**I'm also currently accepting any requests, if you want me to write a fic for you, then tell me. NejiTen, SasuSaku, SaiSaku, and NaruHina are the only pairs I could handle writing in the meantime. And sorry, I don't write lime or lemon. :P

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**BOO! Hehehe. HAPPY HALLOWEEN, EVERYONE!!!

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**Gimme! Gimme! Gimme reviews, baby! XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	96. The Relentless Mist

**MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYBODY! :]**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_** I'm on a Christmas vacation!!! Yeah!!! Who doesn't love Christmas, huh? It's a season to be jolly! And I'm giving you more reasons to be jolly because of this new chapter! Yeah! I hope you'll all like it!!! :] Merry Christmas!!!**

**(From the last chapter…)**

Kashime eyed Tsunade and the latter returned her gaze before turning her attention to the audience.

"I, the Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure, am willing to work with Kirigakure. Yes, Mizukage-sama, we know that Kirigakure has always been the catch basin of the leftovers of war, but now that you have reached out to us, we certainly cannot let this happen to your village any longer." The Hokage replied.

The cheers from the audience were louder than it was a while ago.

The Mizukage spoke, "However, Hokage-sama, before we move on to signing the contract, I would like to address one concern."

"_I think this is it. Gee, this woman sure does like to be as straightforward as she can get! She has sure does have some stuck-up strict sense of moral code."_ Tsunade thought.

"What is it that bothers you, Mizukage-sama?" Tsunade asked politely.

Kashime smirked and eyed Uchiha Sasuke on the front row sharply, _"You're gonna get it, Uchiha."_

**(Chapter 96 – The Relentless Mist)**

"Hokage-sama, I think you already know that my village has been devastated lately…" the Mizukage paused as she shifted her gaze from Sasuke to Tsunade, "…devastated by one man."

Tsunade sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. Damn. Kashime likes to get her point across. That, the Hokage didn't like. So she breathed for a moment, trying to regain her composure, trying to chide herself not to grab the young Mizukage's throat and choke her until it becomes the death of her.

The great Hokage nodded solemnly and slowly opened her eyes, "Yes, Mizukage-sama."

Kashime nodded once and faced the audience, "For those of you who don't know, someone from your village came into our village, looking for a woman who backed out from his promise of marriage. One most definitely cannot blame a woman who backs out in fear as she realizes that her fiancé didn't exactly love her as much as she loved him. So this woman ran off and sought to find asylum in Kirigakure. Our humble village welcomed her. However… this man probably had gone insane in embarrassment that his bride-to-be turned him down. So what did he do? He followed the innocent woman to our village."

The Mizukage paused, wanting to savor the reactions from the audience.

"_She is so not doing this."_ Tsunade clenched her fists as she closed her eyes and meditated, _"I better calm down before I __**seriously**__ beat the living daylights out of this bitch! And she calls herself the Mizukage?! Please, it makes me laugh in disgust."_

Rock Lee, who was in the audience, knows what the Mizukage was talking about. He was there. He was there to accompany his friend, Haruno Sakura, to seek refuge in the Mist. **(**_**A/N**_**: You may refer the next incident from Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 of this story, just to freshen up your memory of the very day Sasuke first attacked Kirigakure. ;] )**

The Mizukage continued, "That man, he blew up the bus where his ex-fiancée and her companion were, killing many innocent lives. The woman suffered a concussion from the impact, causing her to have a temporary amnesia, but she was safe, thanks to her companion. She and her companion were reportedly safe. Not too long enough though, the man went in a wild killing spree, killing numerous ANBUs of our village, ninjas, and civilians, even! The man knows that the woman was still alive. He wants to know where she is. And at the instant he came across her path, she did not know him – she was still an amnesiac. He took this as an advantage and kidnapped her! It took several fearful, anxious-filled days before we were able to work out a plan to free the woman from his hands. The woman is now back here in Konoha, safe and sound, her memories intact – her memories including those while she had amnesia, everything. I believe that she goes day by day, knowing what had happened to her in Kirigakure. The man is also back here in Konoha. In fact, I am a bit disappointed to know that he is a free man, even holding a high rank in this village's ninja hierarchy. I am not pleased with this. My village, along with the lives that that man took, will never be at peace, knowing that he is a free man, enjoying his freedom, even being given privileges! This is an insult to us!"

The atmosphere in the main function hall was uneasy, inexplicably heavy. Only a sorry silence from the audience screamed in the huge gathering, the anger of the Mizukage felt by those who were watching.

Kashime sighed and went on, "I will now reveal to you the names of those persons. The woman is none other than your upcoming Rokudaime Hokage, Haruno Sakura."

The audience was surprised. Of course, those who knew weren't surprised. In fact, Sakura's advisors looked at the Mizukage disdainfully. For them, it was not appropriate to tell such story to the public. But alas, they were nothing but an upcoming Hokage's advisors, while Kashime was one of the most powerful leaders in the entire world. Who were they if they dared to defy her? They were nothing but mere specks of dust getting in her way.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, clenched his fists until his knuckles had turned white.

Kashime turned to Tsunade and called her, "Hokage-sama, I believe you must know who this man is. Kindly tell the public who he is. They must know who this criminal is, this criminal who walks alongside them, his cruel and cold conscience not even tugging at his soul, that is, if he even does have a soul. Say his name, Hokage-sama."

Tsunade bit her tongue. The Mizukage was getting on her nerves.

"What? Can't you say the name of this criminal, Hokage-sama? Would you rather have me say his name? Or do you refuse to say his name because you are protecting him? Hmm? Well, Hokage-sama? Come on, say the name of the man who devastated my village!" Kashime, with an eyebrow raised, mocked Tsunade.

Tsunade gritted her teeth at first and she sighed, "The man goes by the name Uchiha Sasuke."

The audience said altogether, "WHAT?!" There was such uproar. The audience started chattering, moved by the Mizukage's revelations. Clearly enough, they weren't happy that this injustice was happening – oh no, they weren't happy at all.

Immediately, ANBUs surrounded Sasuke, protecting him from the crumpled papers, empty cans, water bottles, and whatever garbage-turned-projectile thrown upon him.

"You traitor! How could you do such to the Mist! You are a shame to this village!" an angered civilian shouted.

In an instant, ANBUs who were near that random man grabbed him and led him out of the venue.

Kashime had a hand on her mouth, concealing that big grin on her face. She was even actually trying to stifle a laughter begging to slip from the confines of her throat.

"_Oh, look at the reaction of this crowd, Hokage-sama. It's wonderful!"_ Kashime thought, _"It's impossible that you're going to let this man go unpunished now, would you?"_

Haruno Kashime removed her hand from her mouth and tried to cough off the boisterous laughter that was really trying to take over her control. She tried coughing harder as the laughter was getting harder to suppress. The want to laugh finally dissipated as she gradually slowed down her coughs. Everything was according to plan. Oh yes it was. She damped her lips and sighed. She wiped the tears forming on the corner of her eyes. Well, it was really difficult to try to stop laughing when all she wanted to do was laugh her brains off.

The Mizukage eyed the Uchiha who was looking at the ground, probably embarrassed. _"Then good, be embarrassed, you good-for-nothing bastard! Suck it all up! I'm going to make you pay!"_

The drums pounded throughout the hall, trying to reduce the uproar from the audience to mere murmurs, until there was complete silence.

"Now that you've heard the story of how one man caused so much trouble to our village, let me share to you what else I have discovered about this man." Kashime spoke as soon as the audience has calmed down, "I have heard that this man started his crimes at a young age. When he was still a genin, 12 years old at that, he betrayed Konoha. He walked out of this village and followed an S-rank missing nin, also from Konoha, named Orochimaru. He came back here a few years ago and was slightly imprisoned for his misdoings. I heard that he attacked the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage's assistant during a mission not too long ago, on the very day of my arrival here in Konoha, to be exact. The innocent man fell off a cliff. If the Rokudaime's assistant hadn't been alert at that point and if he didn't have enough skills, I'm sure he's good as dead now. Fortunately, the Rokudaime's assistant managed to save himself from the ordeal, escaping death with only a few broken bones, scratches, and bruises." **(**_**A/N**_**: If you want to refresh your memory regarding this incident, you may refer to Chapters 80 and 81. :] )**

Natsumi, Sai's new friend, gasped at the revelation. She was also part of the audience. Natsumi remembered her conversation with Sai on the day they first met and she toured him around the art gallery.

**--- FLASHBACK (from Chapter 85) ---**

"Well, we should just proceed to the next hall. This gallery is actually a main hallway, so we have to pass by here to proceed to the landscape sketches hall." She told him, "Uhm… If you don't mind me asking… why are you here? I mean, being the upcoming Rokudaime's administrative assistant… doesn't that mean that you're busy?"

"I am always busy and I love being busy." Sai answered with a smile, "But I just got out from the hospital and Sakura told me to take the day off and rest."

"Hospital? You were hospitalized for what?" Natsumi responded, wide-eyed.

"Some injuries I attained from doing what's only supposed to be a simple Elite ANBU mission turned chaos." Sai told her sarcastically, "I already filed my leave papers in the ANBU Headquarters, and still, the Godaime calls me up for a mission? Sheesh!"

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

"I also happened to learn that his brother, Uchiha Itachi, murdered the entire Uchiha clan, leaving Sasuke the only survivor. Itachi then became part of a 'ninja-syndicate' group, the Akatsuki." The Mizukage continued, "Now, I have asked your upcoming Rokudaime Hokage to give just punishment to Uchiha Sasuke, to make him pay for all his crimes against her, against Konoha, and of course, against my beloved village, Kirigakure. However, since she is not here with us today, I would like to turn over that decision to the current Godaime Hokage."

Kashime eyed Tsunade and asked, "Well then, Hokage-sama, what is your verdict on Uchiha Sasuke?"

"_Damn it! I hate this bitch!"_ Tsunade thought as her knuckles had hurt from clenching her fists, _"You said all that to get sympathy from the audience so that I would be forced to punish the goddamn Uchiha! Of course, having heard your story, they would side with you and feel that your village was a victim of injustice! You're such an unbelievable, conniving bitch!"_

Tsunade breathed deeply and tried her best to be as calm as possible. The efforts were good enough. The Hokage finally spoke, "As a matter of fact, Mizukage-sama, I was summoned yesterday by my successor to talk about the verdict on Uchiha Sasuke, aside from pursuing this gathering. She has decided on what to do to him. And she stressed that her decision is final and irrevocable."

The Mizukage pillowed her chin on her palm, with her elbow set on the table. She answered to the Hokage: "Well? Let's hear it then."

Tsunade eyed Shizune who was at the foot of the stage's staircase. Shizune nodded and she made her way to the stage, bowing before the Hokage as she presented the box she was holding with extended arms.

Tsunade grabbed the scroll from the box. With this, Shizune bowed once more and made her way down the stage.

Tsunade unrolled the scroll. She inhaled and said, "I shall now be reading to you the decision written yesterday by Haruno Sakura, the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage. This is the Rokudaime's verdict on Uchiha Sasuke's several counts of crimes made against her, against Konoha, and against Kirigakure."

Tsunade read: "I, Haruno Sakura, the chosen Rokudaime Hokage, am giving down an eternal and executive clemency to Uchiha Sasuke for his crimes against me, against Konoha, and against Kirigakure. I believe that this decision may not be accepted by most, especially the Mizukage, but I do believe that pardoning Uchiha Sasuke for all his crimes is the best approach. I do believe that Uchiha Sasuke is now no longer capable of doing anymore crimes to anyone and anywhere, for he has pledged his loyalty to Konoha once more. I understand the devastation that Uchiha Sasuke has caused Kirigakure; therefore, I have decided that Konoha will be paying all damages done by Uchiha Sasuke in kind and in service to Kirigakure. Signed herein, Haruno Sakura, Rokudaime Hokage of Konohagakure."

Sasuke stared wide-eyed as the verdict was read. He could not think of what he was supposed to say, what he was supposed to do, or what he was supposed to feel. It was as blank as that, while shock surged throughout his entire nervous system, as if paralyzing him, making him incapable of thought – as if a jutsu or some sort of black magic had been cast upon him. He was expecting something like 'death penalty' or 'lifetime imprisonment'… but never, 'eternal clemency'. He didn't even think of anything relevant or close to that.

What made him deserve the Rokudaime's forgiveness? Didn't she just step on his pride the other night when she returned his parents' necklace and when she refused his offers to let her stay in the Uchiha compound for a night or have him escort her home? Sasuke couldn't comprehend what was going on. Everything was becoming more of a blur in his mind.

The audience roared once more in great disagreement. The Mizukage was shocked with what she has heard, so she stared at Tsunade, wide-eyed, as if the Hokage was some bewildered lunatic that came from the darkest and deepest depths of hell.

Tsunade's forehead creased as she closed her eyes and spoke, "That is the decision of Haruno Sakura, Mizukage-sama."

"NO! THAT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!" Kashime stood up and pounded her fist on the table. Her yell had silenced the audience.

Tsunade just sighed and rolled the scroll back and gave it to the Mizukage, "Like what I've said, that is the decision of the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage. It is final and irrevocable. Here, take a look."

Kashime violently grabbed the scroll and unrolled it with trembling hands. She read the writings with narrowed eyes. Indeed, it was her cousin's calligraphy on the piece of parchment. The Mizukage rolled it back and pounded it on the table, setting it in place.

Kashime stared angrily at the Hokage and hissed through her gritted teeth, "THIS IS ADDING INSULT TO INJURY! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO MY VILLAGE?! FORGIVE A MURDERER?! WHY GIVE MERCY TO SOMEONE WHO MERCILESSLY KILLED INNOCENT LIVES IN KIRIGAKURE?! WHERE IS JUSTICE IN THAT?!"

Kashime isn't close to calming down. Her blood rushed to her cheeks, an infuriated blush completing her angered face and her raging voice, "YOU! GODAIME HOKAGE! HAVE YOU INFLUENCED THE ROKUDAIME HOKAGE TO COME TO THIS DECISION? YOU DID INFLUENCE HER, DID YOU NOT?! THIS IS TOTALLY INTOLERABLE!"

That's it. That was the last straw. With that, Tsunade calmly stood up and faced the Mizukage with determined, equally annoyed eyes.

Tsunade clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, thinking, _"Alright, that's it. This bitch is going to get a piece of my mind!"_

Tsunade opened her mouth to say something but just before she could say a word…

"Calm down, Mizukage-sama." A voice called from the audience.

"**WHO DARED** SAY **THAT** TO **ME**?!" Kashime snapped as she abruptly turned her head to where she heard the voice.

And when she looked, there she saw her cousin, entering the main function hall, walking down the center aisle, with Sai, her assistant, tailing her not too far behind.

"And **who are you** to dare defy my decision? **Who are you** to dare point an accusation towards the Godaime Hokage? Aren't the three of us just equals, **kages** in our own rights? You, the newly-installed Mizukage, Tsunade-sama, the current Godaime Hokage, and I, the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage – the three of us have one similarity – we are all kages." Sakura shouted calmly across the hall, her voice gentle and calm, but poisoned with authority, "You have asked for my decision, have you not? So don't point your finger at my mentor for influencing me to come up with such decision. That decision was made entirely by me and me alone. No one has pushed me into making that decision."

With that, everyone watched in silence as the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage slowly strode along the center aisle… and there was something about her face, too. Her face was full of determination.

Haruno Sakura, the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage, was fed up and she was determined to kill this issue once and for all.

_TBC…_

-------

**Kashime demands of Sakura to explain her decision in great detail. Sakura does so, proving that her decision is proper. This does not stop the Mizukage's blood to boil. Will Sakura be able to pull this one off?**

**Bravery, humility, authority. That's what it's all about on Chapter 97: **_**The Valiant Fire**_

"_**What do you intend on doing, Sakura?"**_

**- Shizune**


	97. The Valiant Fire

**HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!**

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_ **Unfortunately, I'm down to my last week of my Christmas vacation. And yeah, sad to say, I have to go back to school by Monday next week. Huhuhuhu. I need some more days of rest! T.T**

* * *

**(From the last chapter…)**

Kashime isn't close to calming down. Her blood rushed to her cheeks, an infuriated blush completing her angered face and her raging voice, "YOU! GODAIME HOKAGE! HAVE YOU INFLUENCED THE ROKUDAIME HOKAGE TO COME TO THIS DECISION? YOU DID INFLUENCE HER, DID YOU NOT?! THIS IS TOTALLY INTOLERABLE!"

That's it. That was the last straw. With that, Tsunade calmly stood up and faced the Mizukage with determined, equally annoyed eyes.

Tsunade clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, thinking, _"Alright, that's it. This bitch is going to get a piece of my mind!"_

Tsunade opened her mouth to say something but just before she could say a word…

"Calm down, Mizukage-sama." A voice called from the audience.

"**WHO DARED** SAY **THAT** TO **ME**?!" Kashime snapped as she abruptly turned her head to where she heard the voice.

And when she looked, there she saw her cousin, entering the main function hall, walking down the center aisle, with Sai, her assistant, tailing her not too far behind.

"And **who are you** to dare defy my decision? **Who are you** to dare point an accusation towards the Godaime Hokage? Aren't the three of us just equals, **kages** in our own rights? You, the newly-installed Mizukage, Tsunade-sama, the current Godaime Hokage, and I, the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage – the three of us have one similarity – we are all kages." Sakura shouted calmly across the hall, her voice gentle and calm, but poisoned with authority, "You have asked for my decision, have you not? So don't point your finger at my mentor for influencing me to come up with such decision. That decision was made entirely by me and me alone. No one has pushed me into making that decision."

With that, everyone watched in silence as the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage slowly strode along the center aisle… and there was something about her face, too. Her face was full of determination.

Haruno Sakura, the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage, was fed up and she was determined to kill this issue once and for all.

**(Chapter 97 – The Valiant Fire)**

Kashime's eyes narrowed. This was her cousin walking down the aisle – no, this was not her cousin. This was the Rokudaime Hokage, walking in all her glory.

Sakura walked in, wearing a dark green long-sleeved blouse, it had an off-shoulder cut, so it revealed the white straps of her tank top. She also wore a pair of black slacks, and a pair of ordinary ninja sandals. Her pink locks were neatly fastened back in a ponytail. She dressed simply, well, probably because of the lack of time; given that she was still sick, after all.

Sakura chuckled and said, "I knew this was going to happen. Your hot temper always gets in the way, Mizukage-sama."

"And just what exactly do you mean by that, Rokudaime-sama?" the Mizukage hissed.

"Why, I meant exactly what I said, Mizukage-sama." Sakura shrugged, "Did I say any figure of speech there?"

Sakura reached the staircase and Shizune eyed Sakura.

"What do you intend on doing, Sakura?" Shizune asked.

"Prove a point and try to save the treaty." Sakura replied with a voice audible enough for only Shizune and Sai to hear, "Don't worry, Shizune-san. Just watch me." With that Sakura smiled.

Sai walked by her side and aided her on the steps of the staircase by holding her hand firmly, like how a gentlemanly escort would do to a fair lady. Well, of course, anyone who truly knows Sai would say that he is no gentleman. But take into consideration that he is the assistant of the Rokudaime Hokage. Above all though, he was Sakura's friend. He was actually just aiding her because she isn't well yet.

"Sakura." Sai whispered.

Sakura turned her head to him, assuring him that she was listening.

Sai smiled, "Go kick some ass."

That statement made her chuckle a bit.

As Sakura reached the final step, Sai let go of her hand and tailed her. He has to follow her all the time, just in case something bad happens with her already unhealthy condition. And though Sakura might not admit it, she is as scared as hell while she's doing this. She's just acting brave. The girl needs some moral support – and that's in the form of Sai, just right behind her.

Sakura bowed in front of her mentor and greeted her with a smile, "Godaime-sama." It was a simple acknowledgement.

Tsunade smiled. Sakura knew where this was going. She just arrived on the right time. Although Tsunade had to smile at the thought that her protégée's entrance was a bit too dramatic… well, she had to give some credits to the girl. Sakura just saved her mentor from sheer shame just in the nick of time…and also saved her cousin from getting her throat choked in the hands of an already pissed off Tsunade.

"Are you well, Sakura?" Tsunade told Sakura.

"No, not yet, Tsunade-sama." Sakura replied.

Tsunade eyed Sai irritably. Sai bowed his head and smiled, "She insisted me to take her here, Hokage-sama."

"Rokudaime-sama," Kashime called, loud and clear, "would you kindly explain to me your decision?"

Ah, yes. The three almost forgot about the presence of the Mizukage.

Sakura eyed her cousin, "What else is there to explain? I think my decision is clear that I am giving Uchiha Sasuke my forgiveness for all the crimes he did."

"**Why** are you forgiving him?" Kashime shook her head as she intently stared at her cousin as if she were some sort of woman with a messed up brain, "Aren't his crimes heinous enough to deserve his death?"

The audience made noises of agreement with the Mizukage.

"And what benefits do our villages get from his death?" Sakura said as-a-matter-of-factly, "What? Justice?"

"WHY, YES OF COURSE, ROKUDAIME-SAMA!" Kashime threw her hands in the air, "Isn't that obvious? His death would bring justice to all those he killed!"

"And then?"

"What do you mean, 'and then'?"

"And then what?" Sakura repeated, "What happens after his death?"

"Justice is served!" Kashime replied in an as-a-matter-of-factly tone.

"So if he dies, will it bring back all the lives he took? If he dies, will all the physical damages he has caused in your village be restored?" Sakura pointed out.

Silence.

"If he dies, nothing happens." Sakura sighed, "We are neither benefited nor harmed if I sentence him to die. It's just another life had slipped away. Nothing extraordinary. Death is an everyday thing. I know that since I'm a medic nin. I know that since I am a ninja. I know that since I am human."

Sakura continued, "So why not just pardon him? Have you not heard that part of my decision when it was read to you? Konohagakure will pay for the damages he caused in kind and in service. Uchiha Sasuke is from Konoha, so Konoha is responsible for him. We will give Kirigakure financial aid and we are willing to trade with your village for a lower contract price compared to how we normally trade with other nations. We will be sending out ninjas to Kirigakure to help in your ninja system's development. We will help Kirigakure rise from all the aftermath it has been through, wars after wars, and attacks after attacks. Konoha will be willing to lend its hand to you, should you be in trouble. Isn't that enough? At least you get something back! If I ask for Uchiha Sasuke's head, it won't make a world of difference! No, none at all."

"I don't think you understand, Rokudaime-sama. He **killed** innocent lives in our village." Kashime countered.

"Mizukage-sama, you couldn't accuse a person of killing if he wasn't even fully aware of it. He didn't know he was already killing people." Sakura told her, "He didn't know. He was under the influence of a curse given to him by Orochimaru. I had the curse dispelled, so I assure you that he would not be in a killing frenzy anymore. You cannot accuse a person of a crime that he did do but was not fully aware of doing it." **(**_**A/N**_**: I actually learned that from my Theology class two semesters ago when we were talking about the kinds of Law. And yeah, it's legal to say that in court, for as long as there are accompanying evidences.)**

"What about the crimes he did to Konoha?"

"What? When he turned his back to Konoha? The man returned. We had him imprisoned so he could put himself together. He was also given executive pardon by Tsunade-sama. He is now rendering his ninja services once more to this village." Sakura defended.

"How about his faults against you? How about his assault on your assistant?" Kashime asked as she eyed Sai.

Sakura snickered, "Uchiha Sasuke just had to be too proud that he couldn't accept that I ditched him. So he tried to do some things which he thought would make me change my mind – that includes the assault on my assistant. They were all just childish, naïve, immature efforts and attempts. I have forgiven his all his crimes against me. The guy's just too damn proud and he just wants me to notice him so he acts like some juvenile delinquent. No matter, he's forgiven. And for the record, Sai, my assistant, has already forgiven him long before Uchiha Sasuke could even apologize. Isn't that right, Sai?"

Sai bowed and flashed a smile, "Yes, Rokudaime-san, that is true. I have whole-heartedly forgiven Uchiha Sasuke."

"_Whole-heartedly? In what kind of deep shit did that word just come from? Where the hell did I learn to use that cheesy word?"_ Sai thought.

Sasuke was just staring at Sakura. Okay, she was trying to step more on his ego now, but he knows that she's just doing it to be more convincing – to save his sorry ass from the whole mess it left.

Kashime had her fists clenched, clutching the cloth on the sides of her white robe, "Rokudaime-sama, are you not doing this because you're still in love with Uchiha Sasuke?"

Silence.

Sakura burst out in laughter. She coughed and corrected herself, "I apologize for such unruly gesture. But Mizukage-sama, what made you say that? I mean, to all the women here," Sakura faced the audience, "who would be willing to love a jerk like him?"

"_Only I can love a jerk like him."_ Sakura thought absent-mindedly, not really paying attention to what she had just thought of.

The women from the audience cheered and Sakura continued on, "And besides, Mizukage-sama, since you have mentioned that he has, indeed, a high rank in the ninja hierarchy here in Konoha, then it is also a fact that there will be several S-rank missions of which he will be sent to. And I shall see to it that he will be sent on the very dangerous ones, too. Isn't that punishment enough? Is that slow torture sufficient, Mizukage-sama?"

Kashime gritted her teeth. She didn't know what to say.

"If you thought that this decision was a rather easy one to make, you thought wrong. I want justice for myself, too. I could have asked for his execution with this opportunity given to me – I wanted vengeance for myself, but I chose not to. I chose to forgive Uchiha Sasuke instead." Sakura smiled sweetly, "Mizukage-sama, if you truly want a truce between our villages, don't you think we should start with forgiveness? We must learn how to pardon. Justice is not always only served in punishments, but also in forgiveness. Please, Mizukage-sama, find it in your heart to forgive."

"Forgive?" Kashime whispered as her eyes widened.

**--- FLASHBACK (from Chapter 92) ---**

She prayed again and then followed, "Then what am I supposed to do to make things right?"

She placed her hands firmly on the third bowl. Inside the third porcelain bowl were small, spherical stones. They were only painted in two colors: black and white. There seems to be more black stones than white ones.

Kashime closed her eyes and threw the contents of the third bowl on the huge wooden board before her. She patiently waited, her eyes still closed in prayer, until she heard that there were no more stones rolling.

She gently placed the porcelain bowl down before opening her eyes to see the board. She looked for the holes beneath the kanji letters that had white stones. And there, she found the word "Forgive," spelled on the board.

Her eyes narrowed, _"Forgive? Forgive who?"_

She prayed once more and then asked her last question, "Is it Sakura whom I must forgive?"

She reached for the second porcelain bowl and had drawn a wooden tile that says, "No."

Now, that answer made her think.

"_No? If it is not Sakura whom I must forgive, then who?"_

She wished to ask another question, but saw that her incenses had been lit off. The spirits of the ancestors had already left.

**--- END OF FLASHBACK ---**

"_The ancestors wanted me to forgive Uchiha Sasuke?"_ Kashime told herself, deep in thought, _"They wanted me to forgive him despite all his crimes against Sakura, against Konoha, and against Kirigakure?"_

"I, as Haruno Sakura, have forgiven my ex-fiancé, Uchiha Sasuke, for all the contemptuous deeds that he has done against me." Sakura turned to the audience, "And I, as the upcoming Rokudaime Hokage, have forgiven a citizen of Konohagakure, Uchiha Sasuke, for all the crimes that he has committed against this village and against Kirigakure."

Just then, Sakura, bowed in front of the crowd – not the ordinary Japanese bow, but she bowed on her knees, with her head down.

Everyone was surprised with what Sakura was doing.

Sai, the loyal assistant and friend that he was, did the same gesture obliquely behind Sakura. Tsunade walked away from where she was seated and stopped beside Sakura, just in front of Sai. The great Godaime Hokage as well, was on her knees and bowed.

"Thank you." Sakura said, loud enough for only Tsunade and Sai to hear.

"Konoha, I beseech you!" Sakura told the crowd in a firm, powerful, yet humble voice: "Please, accept my decision."

Silence.

Rock Lee, from the audience, stood up and clapped his hands loudly. Natsumi also stood up and clapped her hands for Sakura. Yamato, Hatake Kakashi, and Uzumaki Naruto soon followed, standing up and applauding the very humbling gesture of the Rokudaime Hokage.

Then, more followed – until everyone in the crowd was on their feet, clapping their hands as their sign of acceptance of Sakura's decision.

Uchiha Sasuke remained seated, his eyes tightly closed, his fists clenched, and his teeth grinding against one another. How could Haruno Sakura, the Rokudaime, do this for him? Really! The Rokudaime Hokage was on her knees, together with the Godaime Hokage, and Sai! They were **begging on their knees** just to ask for the crowd and the Mizukage **to forgive him**.

Sakura clenched her fists, clutching the cloth on her slacks, and her shoulders were obviously shuddering. Tsunade smiled and stood up, clapping her hands as well. Sai followed suit. Then, Tsunade and Sai helped Sakura up by holding her by her arms and hoisting her back to her feet.

Sakura turned her back from the crowd, hid her tear-stained face. Sai offered his handkerchief to her and she took it, smiling at him. He smiled back, "To live a life full of love, you'll need courage. You're on the right track, Sakura. I'm glad."

She wanted to hug Sai so much, but opted not to because it might spark some speculations. He has been very supportive of her. She wanted to thank him with every ounce of strength that she had.

Sakura turned to face the crowd once more and plastered a big grin on her face and bowed (the traditional Japanese bow) in gratitude. She straightened up and cleared her throat. She spoke, "Thank you. Thank you very much for understanding."

With that, she turned to Kashime who was staring at her. For the first time in this gathering, Haruno Kashime had a big smile on her face and shook her head in ridicule.

"You do have some guts, don't you, Rokudaime-sama?" Kashime started, "Okay, okay. If you insist, then I too, forgive Uchiha Sasuke for all his crimes against my beloved village, Kirigakure. But mark my word, Rokudaime-sama. Should this man commit another crime against my village, I'm telling you right now, I want him decapitated and I shall have his head hung high at the gates of Kirigakure. I'm serious!"

"You have my word, Mizukage-sama." Sakura nodded, "I am very grateful that you are one with my decision."

"Rokudaime-san," Sai formally called Sakura, "I think we should get going. You are still not yet well."

"Ah, yes." Sakura spoke, "Well then, I hope that the signing of the Kirigakure-Konohagakure Treaty of Eternal Alliance will be pursued today. The Godaime Hokage will be signing the contract in my place. I could not stay any longer for I still have to recuperate from my illness. I have to excuse myself now, Mizukage-sama, Godaime-sama."

With that, she bowed and she stepped down from the stage, Sai still accompanying her.

As soon as she reached the floor beneath the steps of the stage, Sakura had clutched onto Sai's shoulder for support – she had lost her footing. Sai held on Sakura's frame securely.

"Sakura! Sakura, are you okay?" Sai had forgotten that they were still in a formal event, having addressed her name informally.

Sakura clutched her aching head with one hand, her other arm was still encircled firmly around one of Sai's shoulders. Her vision was questionably blurred. She said in between huffs, "I… I… I-I think I'm not feeling too well."

_TBC…_

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**Sakura passes out. Sai carries Sakura out of the venue and patiently waits for Shizune, as instructed. A person he wasn't able to see in a while appears and keeps him company for a while. He can't help but smile when she smiles. Natsumi was her name… Ah, her name alone is like music to his ears. Her name is also like a plague devastating his mind.**

**Confusion starts at Chapter 98: **_**The Tale from the Giant Paper Windmill**_

"_**I don't see why you can't like her. And I know why you can't leave her side. You're her strength, aren't you?"  
**_**- Natsumi**

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_**A/N:**_** The next chapter's an incredibly long one! A little bit of SaiOC fluff. :] I hope you'll like it! It's also one of my favorite chapters ever written! I put a lot of my heart into it, so I do certainly hope that you will like the next chapter. ;]**

**I wonder what that button down there does. Oh! Right! You're going to give me a review using that button down there! XD**

**+Releina Artemis+**


	98. The Tale from the Giant Paper Windmill

**HAPPY VALENTINES DAY, EVERYBODY!!!**

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_**ATTENTION – TO ALL OF MY BELOVED READERS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE NOT REGISTERED AT BUT NEVER FAILS TO DROP REVIEWS:**_** Oh. My. Gawd. Thank you very much! Well, I always reply to all of my registered reviewers, but I never had the chance to reply to any of the unregistered ones. They usually don't leave e-mails, so I can't even send you messages to express my gratitude. But please do know, I really appreciate your reviews, no matter how simple they are, they mean a lot to me. Every. Single. Review. I read them all and appreciate them. I think now is the time to say THANK YOU. Thank you all so much. You make me happy no matter how tiring and how brain-dehydrating my day was. Thank you all so, so, much! :)**

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_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**_** School sucks. I'm busy all the time. I rarely have sufficient rest at all. Weekends? Those are the days when I'm busier. Oh well. Just finished my Midterm Exams last week. Moving on…**

**Hello everyone! This is my very special Valentine treat to you all! It's a SaiNatsu fluff! Sort of. Hehehe. This is one of my favorite chapters. I really did put my heart into writing this chapter. I hope it will be one of your favorites, too! It's a bit long, too!**

**Enjoy!!! Love, love, love!!! Hearts, hearts, hearts!!! **

**PS: Happy Independence Day to all single ladies and gentlemen out there! Hahahaha! You're not alone! I'm in that same bandwagon since birth! XD**

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**(From the last chapter…)**

"Rokudaime-san," Sai formally called Sakura, "I think we should get going. You are still not yet well."

"Ah, yes." Sakura spoke, "Well then, I hope that the signing of the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance will be pursued today. The Godaime Hokage will be signing the contract in my place. I could not stay any longer for I still have to recuperate from my illness. I have to excuse myself now, Mizukage-sama, Hokage-sama."

With that, she bowed and she stepped down from the stage, Sai still accompanying her.

As soon as she reached the floor beneath the steps of the stage, Sakura had clutched onto Sai's shoulder for support – she had lost her footing. Sai held on Sakura's frame securely.

"Sakura! Sakura, are you okay?" Sai had forgotten that they were still in a formal event, having addressed her name informally.

Sakura clutched her aching head with one hand, her other arm was still encircled firmly around one of Sai's shoulders. Her vision was questionably blurred. She said in between huffs, "I… I… I-I think I'm not feeling too well."

**(Chapter 98 – The Tale from the Giant Paper Windmill)**

"You ugly hag, you've been pushing yourself too hard." Sai scolded, loud enough for only her to hear. Sai eyed Shizune and called her, "Shizune-san!"

Shizune immediately walked to where Sai and Sakura were.

"What happened?" Shizune asked.

"Sakura-chan!!!" Naruto screeched as he ran towards Sakura.

Because of Naruto's concerned call, the audience turned their heads to where Sakura and the other three were. There were several 'ohs' and 'ahs', gasps that were concerned for the Rokudaime's health. They saw that she had lost the glow that she had possessed earlier on stage. She was now very pale.

"Let's escort her out of here first." Shizune instructed, "Naruto-kun, please help Sai in guiding Sakura out of this venue. I'll be the one to attend to her. I'll just grab a few things. I'll be back really soon, okay?"

With that, Shizune ran out of the venue.

Sakura lolled her head back, "Damn it. I really don't feel so well."

Naruto grabbed Sakura's other arm and draped it over his shoulders. He and Sai started aiding Sakura to walk out of the venue.

"Neh, Sakura-chan?" Naruto called, "You were really cool back there!"

Sakura could only smile to that. Naruto had seen that small gesture anyway.

Then, Sakura's body felt heavier.

"Shit." Sai cursed, "Naruto, she passed out."

"Eh?!" Naruto looked at Sakura whose eyes were already closed.

Naruto turned and tapped her cheeks gently, "Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!"

"Really, she never listened to me whenever I told her not to push herself too hard." Sai shifted as he wrapped an arm across her back, securing his hand right under her left arm. He then bent down a little and placed his other arm around her thighs and lifted her in his arms. He shifted a little due to her weight.

An ANBU approached them and bowed his head to Sai before saying, "Need a little help with that, Sir?"

"No thanks, I'm fine. I can handle her." Sai told him as he started walking, "She's not that heavy, anyway."

"Well then," the ANBU nodded as he escorted Sai and Naruto out of the hall, "right this way, Sir."

Of course, the crowd was still watching and they clapped in salute to the Rokudaime Hokage who was unconscious in Sai's arms.

…And yes, Uchiha Sasuke was watching as well, much to his chagrin. How he wished that he was the one carrying his 'savior' in his arms and not Sai. Well, he doesn't have a right to be jealous anyway. Sakura officially ditched him, even announced it in public today. Also, in over a million times, he tried scolding himself mentally, telling himself that he shouldn't be jealous of Sai because Sai was nothing more than a friend to Sakura.

Meanwhile…

Sai had set Sakura on sitting position on a bench along a corridor leading to the main function hall.

"Sai-kun?" a gentle voice called.

"Excuse me," the ANBU with them turned to the owner of the voice, "please return to your seat in the main function hall. The Rokudaime's assistant and the advisor can handle this."

Sai looked behind the ANBU, who was blocking his view of the voice's owner. Immediately, he recognized the owner.

Sai stood up from his crouching position and tapped the shoulder of the ANBU, saying, "No, no, it's okay."

"Sai-kun, I just wanted to help out in some way that I could." The voice's owner told him.

Sai smiled sweetly at the voice's owner and said, "Of course, Natsumi-san."

"Who's she?" Naruto stared at the beautiful, young brunette-haired lady who appeared before them.

Natsumi bowed and smiled at Naruto, "I apologize I have not introduced myself. I'm Natsumi-"

"Sai's new girlfriend?" Naruto interrupted, well, he was more like teasing Sai.

Natsumi blushed at that statement.

"Naruto," Sai turned around, "Natsumi-san is my new friend, not girlfriend. I met her in the Konoha Art Gallery a few days ago. Her father owns that place and she works there, too. She's an artist as well."

Naruto chuckled mischievously and told them, "Well, I'm going back in the hall. Hey, Mr. ANBU, you should be going, too. I'm gonna leave you two alone. Looks like you need some privacy."

"Naruto." Sai warned, as if trying to state a death threat.

Naruto started walking away, with a malicious, almost girl-like giggle. The ANBU bowed before Sai and excused himself as he disappeared in thin air.

"That's Uzumaki Naruto." Sai told her, "One of Sakura's advisors. And this is Haruno Sakura. She already knows about you. I told her about you yesterday."

"She's such a brave woman." Natsumi replied, "I admire her. It is an honor for me just to stand this close to her."

"Not really, especially when she's angry. She'll be throwing punches at you if you get too close." Sai laughed, "So, you said you wanted to help with something?"

"Ah, yes." Natsumi brought out a scroll the size of her thumb.

"What's that?" Sai pointed at the little thing. He did notice though, there was the kanji of 'air' written in ink on the scroll.

"Watch." Natsumi smiled as she made handseals with her right hand alone. The handseals were made so quick, the actions were a blur to Sai.

"Release." She said as she made her last handseal.

With a puff of light blue smoke, appeared a huge, lilac-colored paper windmill that towered just a little bit over Natsumi.

Natsumi gave the windmill a pat on the trunk and the top started spinning, giving off a cool air, blowing towards Sakura and Sai's direction.

"Well, well," Sai amusedly remarked with one eyebrow raised as he glanced at Natsumi, "looks like you'd still be a pretty good kunoichi, an ANBU even, given the chance."

"Really? Thank you. I haven't used any jutsu in a long while."

"Didn't seem like it. Not everyone can do handseals quickly and effectively with one hand." Sai praised as he stared with great interest at the giant paper windmill before him, "I can, but I don't do it too often."

Sai sat down beside the still unconscious Sakura.

"I don't see why you can't like her." Natsumi said as she stared down at Sai and Sakura, "And I know why you can't leave her side. You're her strength, aren't you?"

Sai shook his head in ridicule, "I wouldn't say that. It's my duty to stay by her side always. I give her a little boost when she's feeling a little pessimistic about things. You probably heard what the Mizukage said regarding her, she's quite a broken woman, really."

"Do you like her?" Natsumi said in an almost sad tone.

"Used to." Sai looked up at Natsumi and held her by her wrist, pulling her down to sit beside him, "I'll be telling you a little secret. Are you in for it?"

The wind blew some of her auburn locks on her face. She used her right hand to tuck them behind her ear. Natsumi nodded, "Sure."

"Don't tell anyone about it, swear?"

"I swear I won't tell anyone." Natsumi smiled, "And besides, I have no one to tell this one about."

Sai snickered at her innocence, her purity, as he spoke, "Sakura and me… well, we used to be lovers. I used to be her boyfriend, and she used to be my girlfriend. That happened when I was still a part of her team when she was a chuunin…until Uchiha Sasuke came back. You see, Sakura already had that little crush for Sasuke way, way back when she was still in the Konoha Genin Academy. That infatuation grew into a sad, unrequited love. Her love for him only grew deeper when he was away. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder. I was Sasuke's replacement on the team. And I guess I was only a replacement for Sasuke in her heart as well, back when I was still deeply in love with her. She and I were in a secret relationship then. When Sasuke returned, Sakura and I had to break up. Sasuke apparently got interested in her, even offering her marriage. I turned bitter towards her. We only came into terms about a month ago, I guess. She apologized for what she did and told me that she loved me uniquely. She loved me in a way that she couldn't love Sasuke. I guess I have outgrown my love for her and the bitterness that came with it. I only see her now as a friend, a very important and indispensable friend."

Silence.

"I see." It was a rather delayed reply from her, really. But it was an understood and sympathetic gesture. She empathizes with him. After all, that's all that she could do or feel for him as of the moment.

What he just told her tugged at her heart a little bit for some unknown reason. Jealousy? No. Hurt? Maybe. She was confused. But this man beside her… he possessed something in him, something like a magnetic force that made her want to be as close to him as she could get.

Oh but she knew she can't. This man was busy with his work. He was his ex-girlfriend's loyal assistant. His work demands a lot of time. She also knows that despite how tiring his work could be, he also takes pleasure from what he does. He was a workaholic and it was obvious. Aside from that, this man can be surrounded by several other high-ranking ninjas at times, knowing that he is an Elite ANBU as well.

He was everything she was not, except for two things – an artist and a broken lover. She knows what it must have felt like to let go of the only person you love so much. It hurts as hell. **(**_**A/N:**_** Damn. You don't want to feel that. I did! I already experienced the pain of loving and being defeated in the end. It cuts like a knife, I tell you! I was miserable for a month! T.T Okay, before we end up in another story…)**

She can also relate herself to Sakura, a little, maybe. Natsumi knows how it feels like to be excited to know that you're going to be married to that one man who you truly love, only to have him go in the end. It hurts to the point that she wanted to die. With so much pain in her heart back then, she had almost burnt the precious paintings she made, entailing the memories of her and her ex-fiancé.

And then there came along a stranger by the name of Sai. She can't exactly explain that effect he had on her…such as the moment she saw him in the Konoha Art Gallery a few days ago. At that very moment, the wounds in her heart closed and dried up. Somehow, her heart started beating again.

But after hearing what he had to say today, it was as if some of her healed wounds reopened and bled out again--

Wait. Wait. Hold it right there.

What gives her a right to feel a little hurt this way? She had just met Sai a few days ago! She barely even knows him! She cannot – **cannot** – be feeling hurt. She was nothing to him but a new friend. And nothing else, nothing more, nothing less.

Oh, damn it.

…is she…?

Is she falling in love with a stranger?

Is she falling in love with Sai?

"Sakura told me I should ask you out on a date when I get the time." Sai turned to Natsumi, shaking her out of her reveries.

Yeah, funny how his ex-girlfriend suggests that he should go out on a date with her when he gets the time.

…

Uhh, what did he just say? She stared at him.

She was trying to register what he had just said.

Crap.

Finally, his words were ingested and processed by her jaded brain.

She turned her face away from him, hiding that blush that had crept to her cheeks, her lips pursed together tightly, in shock to what he had said. Oh, but if she thought that he didn't see these, she thought wrong. Sai did see. Those reactions brought a smile to his handsome face.

"Well, I think I don't need to ask you out on a date." Sai added.

As soon as he said that, the blush drained from her face and her lips were parted a bit to release an inaudible sigh.

"I don't need to ask you for a date since you are here with me, and I have time. I don't think asking would still be necessary." Sai continued, "I didn't see you in a while. Happy to know you're here."

That statement made Natsumi's heart sink to her stomach. She didn't know what it exactly meant, but whatever it is, to her, it meant a lot.

But could this little encounter, with an unconscious Sakura, even be called a date? Well, she was confused. She didn't know if this was a date either.

"I heard what you've been through." Natsumi was finally able to speak, swiftly changing the topic; she was really feeling squirmy when she thinks of what Sai had just said. "The Rokudaime's ex-fiancé assaulted you?"

"Oh yeah, that one." Sai snickered, "Yeah, he did. That fucking bastard back there was so jealous of me because I was so close to Sakura. I felt sorry for the poor guy then, so I forgave him immediately. Ironically, Sakura was still so bitter towards him before, so she was telling me off that I should take back what I told the Uchiha. I can't, I meant forgiving him anyway… despite all the broken ribs, several cuts and bruises I got from his assault."

"Wow, that's really kind of you." Natsumi remarked.

"Damn, what's taking Shizune-san so long?" Sai whined.

Silence.

Natsumi stared at her hands which were on her lap and called, "Sai-kun."

"Hmm?"

"I… I…" Natsumi sighed, "I might not be able to have much time for my art anymore."

Sai turned his head to face her, "Why is that?"

"Do you know someone named Yamato?"

"Yes, he's also one of Sakura's advisors. Why?"

"Well," Natsumi told him in a nervous and sad tone, "he was recruiting me to be a part of the team of jounins from Konoha who will be sent to Kirigakure to aid in the training of ninjas there, and to be of little service to Kirigakure, as part of the implementation of the Kirigakure-Konoha Treaty of Eternal Alliance. It's a long-term mission. It would probably take a year or two, maybe even longer, before one could come back here in Konoha."

Sai's eyes widened at that.

"And?" Sai was able to find his voice, "What did you say?"

"I agreed to come." Natsumi stared back at Sai with sad eyes, "Which means right now, Sai-kun… I'm a jounin. I'm back to being a jounin. I'm back to work as a ninja of Konoha."

Silence.

"Is that what you really want, Natsumi-san?" he asked.

Natsumi caressed the trunk of the paper windmill she had just summoned and told him, "I missed doing this – this kind of artwork which can be shared to all. This kind of art which could be either be beautiful or dangerous, or even both at the same time. It would be such a waste to just keep it in, don't you think?"

However, Sai could sense the sadness in her voice. Natsumi tried to hold back the tears threatening to fall for some unknown reason, "But a part of me wants to say here in Konoha."

"So what made you say yes to Yamato's offer?" Sai queried, his eyebrows furrowing a little bit.

"I wanted to get things off of my mind for a while."

He sighed, "Like that jerk? That moron who couldn't even appreciate you?"

He was referring to the guy who proposed marriage to her and then dumped her. For some odd reason, the tone he used with that sentence was meant to be monotonous. Why the hell did it come out like he wanted to hunt that guy down and slit his pulse, and then mutilate him afterwards until he becomes nothing but an unrecognizable heap of dead meat?

Natsumi nodded, "Yes, like him. I wanted to avoid circumstances for a while by going away."

"Circumstances? Circumstances such as?"

"Such as…" Natsumi gulped, "Such as seeing him on the street, walking with his wife and children. I think that would be too painful for me, Sai-kun."

"_Circumstances such as falling in love with you, Sai-kun. I think that would be just a silly, blooming, unrequited love."_ Natsumi thought absent-mindedly, though not really paying attention to that notion, dismissing it as quickly as it came across her mind.

"I think that you were too quick with coming up with that decision." Sai quipped, "Think. Would you be happy doing that?"

Natsumi sighed.

"Well, in any case, with what you have shown to me with that jutsu," Sai pointed at the giant windmill, "I think you'd do very well with your mission."

"Thank you, Sai-kun." Natsumi smiled gingerly at him.

He can't help but smile back at her.

"I think that's Shizune-san coming now." Sai remarked as he heard footsteps in the distance; the soft yet hurried tapping of the said woman's heels were very familiar to him.

"Well, I just came here to see you and to talk to you about what happened yesterday," Natsumi stood up and placed a hand on the trunk of her creation, "also to bring this paper windmill to you. I have to get going now. Oh and I'm leaving this windmill to you. To dispel it, just snap your fingers and say 'Return'."

Sai nodded at her with a smile, "See you, Natsumi-san."

"See you, Sai-kun. We might see each other often around the Hokage Tower or by the streets of Konoha from now on. I won't be at the Konoha Art Gallery anymore." Natsumi started walking, "The windmill, remember, snap and say 'return'. Just like that."

When she was gone, Sai snapped his fingers and uttered, "Return."

With a puff of light blue smoke, the giant paper windmill returned to its original thumb-sized scroll on the floor. Sai bent over and picked it up.

He stared at it and sighed, whispering to himself, "When you do leave, do I snap and say 'return'? Would you come back, just like that?"

He felt a tug at his heart as he held onto the small scroll almost protectively, his long, slender fingers gently caressing at the kanji of 'air' on it. She was going to Kirigakure soon. Why did it hurt him to know that somehow?

There was definitely something about her – something that made Sai want to stop and stare, listen and nod, touch and know, but most importantly, feel and protect. There was something about her that made him **feel** differently. And he knows it's not an ordinary feeling. Only Natsumi can evoke that good, comforting, positive, swirling, heavenly feeling in him.

He couldn't really explain that effect that she had on him. However, he could compare that effect to a drug. The effect she had on him was like an addictive drug, which he can't stop himself from thinking, from taking, from savoring. She was like a painkiller; the moment he met her, the pain he possessed from his past heartbreak was numbed.

But if that was the case, why did it hurt him upon knowing that Natsumi was leaving for a mission?

Why did he feel that little ounce of… fear?

Darn, Sai. It's as clear as daylight that Natsumi can make you **feel**. But Sai dismisses this idea. Sai shakes his head in ridicule.

Sai swallowed the lump in his throat as he pocketed Natsumi's scroll.

Damn it, she already left. Why was he still thinking of her?

It can't be.

It can't be possible, right?

Well, could it?

… That he's helplessly, rapidly, falling in love with Natsumi, a woman he had just met merely a few days ago?

He was confused. She left him completely confused.

And no one, **no one**, had ever made Sai feel that way. Not even Sakura.

Only Natsumi had.

"Shit." Sai cursed under his breath, pounding a fist on the bench while he closed his eyes tightly. He didn't like both that idea and feeling either.

But alas, it was inevitable.

_TBC…_

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**There are those subtle moments after the storm, such as Shio comforting Kashime. There are also those abrupt aftershocks, such as Tsunade and Sasuke's conversation after Sakura handed down the executive clemency. And there are also those superficial rationalizations and secret explanations too difficult to understand, such as Natsumi returning to her jounin status. Now, aren't these so wonderful?**

**Hang on, it's Chapter 99: **_**Calm Wonders**_

"_**STOP! I remember, all right?! I'm not stupid, so don't try to remind me regarding those!"  
**_**-Uchiha Sasuke**

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_**A/N:**_** Hey, have you read chapter 482 of the Naruto manga? My eyes almost popped out and, as far as I'm concerned with my reaction at that moment, my jaw dropped really low at the end of that chapter! That was totally unexpected! I was like, "Sakura! Oh no, you didn't! You did NOT just say THAT!" XD**

**Anyway, I'm anticipating chapter 483. I ****might ****make a oneshot out of it, that is, if 483 turns out well (and if I manage to get some time to write fanfics XD). I'm sure SasuSaku fans all over the world are looking forward to chapter 483 of the Naruto manga, too. Hehehe.**

**Well, I definitely hope that you all loved this chapter on this lovely day of love. ;]**

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**Won't you give me some love? Hit that review button RIGHT NOW! **

**+Releina Artemis+**


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